Chasing Your Shadow
by Sasukeluva 4eva
Summary: After two years of pain and suffering, 17 year old kunoichi Sakura Haruno sets out to save her former teammates, Naruto and Sasuke, and along the way discovers that her feelings towards a certain Uchiha aren't as dead as she pretends them to be...
1. Prologue

**Chasing your shadow**

**(Sasuke/Sakura Fanfic Lemon)**

**Prologue**

"Quick, stop the bleeding!"

"Get Tsunade-sama here, _**now**_! This is critical, and she is the only one with the skill to save her! Now _**go**_!"

The voices rang dully in Sakura's ears as she lay there, immovable, her ragged breaths being caught in her throat every few seconds, part of the reason being that she was hacking up insurmountable amounts of blood, the other being that she was falling in and out of consciousness, making control over her body and it's natural instincts almost virtually impossible. The only thing keeping her awake, the only real purpose for her even being alive right now, was _**him**_. The man whose shadow she had been chasing for the past four years, the man whom she had sworn she would protect from danger, the man whom she had undoubtedly and irrevocably confessed to, the man that she had loved for so long, was her only reason for her being here, the only point in her even existing in this world was him, and him alone.

A sharp and unwelcome pain ripped through the core of Sakura's very being, breaking her out of her reverie and causing her to hack up more blood, coughing and wheezing, gasping for the air that would not come. There was no light; it was dim, at least from Sakura's purview, and there was no sound; only the humming of strangulated voices screaming at the top of their lungs, for reasons Sakura could not place. But it did not matter to her. Her life, at this very moment, was draining away, her soul in tatters and her heart well and truly broken, although the extent of this damage was far beyond that of the wounds Sakura had obtained during battle, the physical, clearly visible inflictions; they were the ones on the emotional scale, the wounds that no amount of time could possibly heal, no matter what methods were used to do so. The pain would only grow worse, becoming steadily more agonising as time goes by, like the sands in a glass timer pouring away to the very last second. That second being the time left for Sakura in this world, and it was rapidly flowing away, the sand slipping through everyone's fingers like water and oil. No matter how hard you try to mix them together, they will always stay separate, remaining the same element that they naturally were, and the frustration of not being able to change that was astonishing.

Similar to the situation Sakura was in; she was the oil, slipping away from the waters grasp, always keeping herself separate from those who tried with inscrutable futility to save her, knowing that if they didn't do something, didn't act, she would well and truly die. And they refused to let that happen, to acknowledge that if they screwed up in any way or form, she would lose her life, and after all she had done for the villagers, for the people she loved the most, that fate was unacceptable. The medic-nin that were tending to her thrust all of their chakra reserves into preventing the bleeding, stalling it as they waited in angst and trepidation for Hokage-sama to make her grand appearance, and tend to the very near-dying Sakura, who was at this moment coughing up another lot of blood, making all around her gasp and flinch.

The tension and apprehension in the air was thick as a booming and thunderous voice filled with murderous rage invaded the open clearing, her expression that of someone who was very likely going to smash a cliff into nothingness, just rocks and debris left in its' wake. Which they all assumed would ensue as soon as she had finished tending to the critically injured Sakura. "What the hell happened here?! Who the hell is responsible for this?! Answer me!" All fell silent, the foreboding and consternation thick as Tsunade looked around wildly, her eyes narrowed, piercing and deadly, as she stomped angrily toward her current student, to which made her gasp in pure and utter shock at the sight of her. Her expression softened, tears welling in her eyes as she took it all in. She had lacerations to the majority of her body, deep enough to see bone and muscle tendons, a crushed windpipe (explaining the trouble that Sakura had when she struggled to breathe properly), eight broken ribs; six of which were protruding mercilessly from her chest, a broken collar bone, severed keirakukei

(a/n: chakra points; the vessels that carry chakra throughout the body), and worst of all, and the wound that Tsunade settled on lastly, was a fist sized hole through her lower abdomen, on her right side. The blonde knelt down and touched Sakura's deathly cold cheek gingerly, before setting to work.

"The damage is severe, yes, but it could have been a lot worse. The hole in her right side indicates that it missed the vital organs, but not by much. Whatever caused this was extremely powerful, and Sakura is lucky that it didn't kill her on the spot. The attack just nicked her liver though, so there is the likely chance of some small internal bleeding. But there may be more, seeing as these wounds are so….." Tsunade struggled for a word, so she left it at that, starting off with another topic.

"The attacker obviously knows the human anatomy quite well, or is well versed in medical-style ninjutsu. Or the practise of it anyway. It seems that these particular inflictions," Tsunade gestured to the lacerations whilst she contended with the uncontrollable bleeding, completely stopping it, healing the worst of the injuries first, before proceeding with the minor, less life-threatening ones, "were inflicted over a prolonged period of time, like there was a struggle, or the person in question was just toying with Sakura, before finally injuring her to this extent." The others listened in profound silence, nodding their heads solemnly, showing that they understood. But there was also an underlying knowing amongst the others', something that they had yet to tell Tsunade, and it was really starting to irk her, but she pushed that hindrance aside, focusing all of her concentration onto Sakura, whom was contracting in sudden spasms of uncontrollable pain, her screams inaudible due to her crushed throat. A flash of panic contorted Tsunade's remarkably young and beautiful features

(a/n: believe it or not, she's actually _fifty-four_), before the set of determination plastered solidly to her features once again, as she hollered an order to the medics sitting alongside her. "Arrange for immediate transportation to the hospital. Take out 'Ward 1 Critical Condition' and prepare for theatre. Get Shizune here on the double. _**Dismissed**_!"

"Hai!" was the reply that came from the medic-nin, whom disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving no trail of ever being there in the first place. Tsunade then turned to the few jonin that had gathered in the clearing, her newfound determination an inspiration to all whom bore witness to it. "Get the ANBU out here on the double, and have them find Kakashi and bring him here. There's something we need to discuss. Dismissed!" The jonin nodded their heads curtly, before making a handsign and disappearing in a cloud of white smoke, just as the medic-nin had, but Tsunade had no time to ponder upon such trivial matters. She turned to look at Sakura, whom had stopped spasming, but was no longer conscious. _Fuck!_ Tsunade thought in distress as she gently lifted Sakura into her steady arms, carrying her to the edge of a nearby cliff. There she was met by the medics whom were deployed, and here to escort Sakura to the hospital as carefully and quickly as they could.

They took her cautiously, before scurrying off to the hospital ward they had been ordered to bring her to. Before Tsunade left, she had to ask; no, more like _**demand**_ to know who had done this to Sakura just so that she could track him down and kill him. Sensing the Hokage's anger, the onlookers became rapidly uneasy, as they knew what she was going to ask, and this time an answer had to be produced, or otherwise there would be heads rolling, quite literally, and if they played there cards right, they could avoid that scenario. But that meant that they had to tell Tsunade the truth of what had transpired only a good, solid hour ago, and the answer was definitely not one she would like, nor want to hear, and certainly wouldn't believe if her life depended on it. But never the less, it was the undeniable truth, and it had to be spoken, even if it fell on deaf ears.

"Now tell me this; who is responsible for putting Sakura in that state?" Tsunade asked in calmly, enunciating in a deliberately slow voice, to let the words sink in fully. She really didn't want to have to yell, but when she received no reply, just some extremely uncomfortable glances and the aversion of eyes, she lost the plot, and began to scream at the top of her lungs, making all there flinch in fear. "Did you people see what that person has done to Sakura, what he has _**destroyed**_?! She could _**die**_, and her killer would get away with it, and in cold blood no less! Don't tell me that it's one of _**you**_?! That's a load of bullshit, and I'll be damned to listen to your cockyfuck stories that you've made up on the spot! Now tell me, _**who did this**_?!"

It was Neji Hyuga who stepped forward, the cold and calculating look in his eyes never fading as he spoke up on behalf of the terrified group, whom although were mostly comprised of jonin and chunin, were still scared stiff off their Hokage. The words that Neji uttered lost all translation in Tsunade's mind, and when he spoke them, there was no flicker of emotion in his voice, it was devoid of all life, like it had been literally sucked out of him as he said the words that even he, the Hyuga clan's genius, could not comprehend.

"The one who put Sakura in such a critical state was Naruto Uzumaki."


	2. C1 Unshed tears and the broken promise

Chapter 1

Unshed tears and the broken promise

_2 years later…_

The pink haired kunoichi sat at her desk, fumbling with the stacks of paperwork that she was supposed to be signing and so on, trying to organise them as neatly as possible, and arranging them according to date, month, year, and the good old alphabetical order. What fun. Her stress and annoyance at being assigned this mediocre assignment- more like chore- was evident, as she clacked the heel of one of her high boots on the marble tiling, her leg shaking the desk and making it harder to concentrate. It was such a beautiful day outside- a change from all of the gloomy weather that had been drenching the hearts and minds, not to mention moods, of the Konoha villagers of late, and she desperately wanted to go for a much deserved stroll throughout the village, to it's entirety. Unfortunately, Tsunade-sama had let the workload accumulate to the point of a stress related meltdown, and in Sakura's pique of feeling needed, _**wanted**_, she inadvertently agreed to split the workload, just to make her shishou's life a little easier, more bearable to say the least.

Let's just say that she deeply regretted her decision. As Sakura chewed on the end of her pen, a habit that was also connected to her being stressed as all hell, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye, and using her peripheral vision to her advantage, and her newly obtained speed, she pulled out a kunai, throwing it with a flick of her wrist so that it collided with the wall, a loud _thud_ clearly audible. The figure in question slumped to the floor in shock, legs trembling and shaking hard as they fought the temptation to scream like a manic psychopath on the wrong prescribed medication, tears welling in a pathetic attempt for sympathy. "You almost killed me, billboard-brow!" exclaimed a haughty Ino, whom was now hauling herself to her feet, brushing down the newly adorned nurses' uniform that was compulsory to wear, no matter how… _revealing_ it may be. _Particularly_ on Sakura.

It was low cut, coming above mid-thigh on most of the nurses' at the hospital, made out of a tight, white, clingy material that did things for Sakura's body; and not in the good way. Sakura hated the way men drooled over her, pined over her like bitches in heat as they took in all of her overly large and nice proportions; wide hips, slim figure, long legs even though she wasn't particularly tall, slender neck, mid-thigh length hair that was unusual in it's shade of pink; the colour of cherry blossoms', bright emerald-jade green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight (what a depressing metaphor), adult looking facial features, and the piece of resistance; her breasts. They were a lot larger than any of the other women in the village (with the exception of two), even Hinata's, who'd have been proven to be the biggest only a short while ago. That is, until Sakura finally 'blossomed.' Now she was the centre of attention, and she hated it. _This must have been what it felt like for Sas—_Sakura cut off her train of thought as the familiar stabbing pain that was produced in her heart and gut forced her to keel over, falling out of her chair and desperately clutching her hands to her abdomen, which was screaming in a now very noticeable agony, the old scar, although healed, a permanent reminder of _that day_. The day that everything feel apart.

The day Sakura's heart died. Ino saw the sudden transition, and ran to her side, panicking like a mother hen as she tried to ease Sakura's pain. Not that it would do any good. This pain was not physical; it was emotional, mental, and nothing could take away that searing pain, not even the most advanced medical ninjutsu. Still, Sakura had to commend Ino for trying. Ever since _that day_, they had become closer than they had ever been before, even more so than when they were children, and were practically inseparable now. Ino had moved on from her fangirling and one-sided 'crush' on a certain Uchiha who-shall-not-be-named-lest-Sakura-die-on-the-spot, and was now dating, heaven forbid, _Sai_. They had been going steady for about a year now, and things had recently been _spicing up_. And by that, I'm implying non-stop sex that frequents weekends and occupies afternoons. Kind of explains her trying to sneak out whilst Sakura was tied down with the never-ending stack of paperwork. "I'm fine, Ino." Sakura hastily pushed herself to her feet, clambering back onto the chair to calm her erratic heart, and her irregular breathing, whilst Ino propped herself gingerly on the desk behind her, leaning forward in a worrying-friend/sister sort of way, placing a warm and encouraging hand on Sakura's.

Sakura smiled weakly, but it was a genuine smile, not one of her forced, feigned smiles that normally graced her lips nowadays. She had not smiled like this often, not since the day when they—Again, Sakura diverted her thoughts elsewhere, focusing on Ino properly for what seemed to be the first moment of proper acknowledgement, letting a wry smile replace her small, sweet one. "Where, pray tell, did you think you were going, Ino-pig? Don't you have a lot of work that needs to be completed before the day is done?" Ino paled considerably, before answering quickly, stuttering and stumbling over her words, making it clearly obvious that she was nervous, hiding something from Sakura, and that was not acceptable in Sakura's book. "W-well… Tsunade-sama… er… she wanted… s-she wanted me t-to go get her some more… ah…. SAKE! That's it! A-anyway, I offered to go and pick it up for her…. S-so I should get going—"

"The hell you are Ino. It's so obvious when you lie, particularly to me of all people. After all, I'm the one who knows you best, am I right?" Sakura stated matter-of-factly, letting the pink eyebrow that had once been arched smoothly move back to its' original position, a set of clear annoyance plastered to her tense features. She still hadn't quite recovered from her very recent 'attack.'"I know, I know! But I really wanna see Sai! It's been forever, and I _really_, _**really**_ miss him Sakura! Can't you understand that?" Ino whined pleadingly, but Sakura just shook her head, another sign that could be retraced to stress. "No I can't Ino. Didn't you see him last night, for your nightly 'screw session?'" The way she said the end part was clearly disheartening, sarcasm dripping from each word and hanging mercilessly in the now exposed air. "Sakura, you don't need to make it sound so _vulgar_, distasteful! And it's hardly like that at all! We were going to go on a date—"

"Followed by the inevitable non-stop sex that will cause you miss half of tomorrow, I know you Ino. That's your excuse every time! I bet I can predict what you're gonna say tomorrow when you come in; 'Sorry I'm late! Sai came down with something, so I had to _nurse_ him back to health!' Let's face it Ino; you're too predictable to fool me." The pout that graced Ino's features also matched that of the silent fury that was brewing to the point of an explosion. "No Sakura, you don't know me at all! I deserve to go out once in a while, with my _boyfriend_, and you can't stop me!""You're always going out with him, _every afternoon_, leaving all of your work to pile up onto my already stacked, overflowing pile that is impossible to sort out in one day, but _has_ to be done either way! I spend _half_ of _my_ nights doing _your work_, _as well_ as _mine_! Can't you take in some consideration for my feelings, and all of _my_ spare time that I'm sacrificing in order to save your ass as well as mine?!" Sakura shouted angrily, her voice rising as she erected herself into a standing position, the chair long since knocked over, lying motionless on the cold marble floor. Ino was also standing, a look of shock, guilt, and remnant anger flickering across her face as she stood there silently for a moment, lowering her face, and ultimately obscuring it from view. She mumbled something incoherent to Sakura's ears, to which she repeated in a clearly audible whisper.

"You're just jealous… I have a boyfriend, whereas you're _still_ a _virgin_! How sad is that?!" Again she raised her voice, the anger flaring as she looked over at Sakura, who stood there dumbfounded, glued to the spot, before continuing her onslaught. "And yet you still cry yourself to sleep over that bastard Uchiha who left you all alone all those years ago! You still _love_ him, when he clearly _hates_ _you_, wanting _nothing_ to do with you, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was true! You can be such an _annoying bitch_ when you want to be, and when you're not, you're just a _condescending bitch_ who seemingly has a stick lodged way too far up your ass! Get over it! Mourning over him is a lost cause, and that goes double for _loving_ him! He'll never return your feelings, and he may even _kill_ you some day, and if he does, I'll be _laughing _at your _funeral_!" There was a strained silence, Ino panting, Sakura motionless, cringing delicately before whispering in a barely distinguishable voice, "You're probably right… Sasuke," she choked on his name, before continuing in her dead tone, "probably does hate me…. I'm probably the reason he left in the first place; distance himself from the stupid bitch that annoys the living crap out of him, and he can finally have one less burden to worry about."

Sakura's broken, shaking tone conveyed all the emotions necessary to leave Ino stupefied, shocked by her own words as the scene before her replayed in her mind over and over again. Sakura swallowed hard, the tears imminent as she spoke. "I don't know why…. _how _I can still be so in love with him… even after he hurt me time and time again… I just can't stop them… these feelings won't _ever_ decay... _never_!" Sakura choked on her sobs as the first tear cascaded down her cheek, followed by an onslaught of them, her body starting to shake with the memories, the flashbacks, to all of their encounters, the times where she saw Sasuke, but could never quite get near him, the distance he placed between them impenetrable. The sniffles and sobs escaped, and she stood there, crying in front of someone for the first time in over a year. "S-Sakura—""And you know what? This ache… no matter how much I will it to disappear… it won't leave me…" At this, Sakura turned on her heel, storming out of her office and down the hallway, concerned glances being thrown at her as she made it to the hospitals exit, running down the street to a place where she could be alone, and feel secure. Ino just stood there, waves upon waves of guilt crashing down on her shoulders, before she too, dropped down onto her knees and began to cry.

Tsunade stood tentively behind her cosy purple Hokage's chair, onlooking the village below. Her workload had been drastically reduced all thanks to Sakura, but now she was worried that Sakura would collapse from stress related exhaustion. She had begun to notice that Sakura was spending more and more time locked up in her office, some days stretching to all nighters, than she was resting up at home. And whenever she wasn't assigned to hospital duty or signing paperwork, she was deployed on missions, or training. Her fears were undoubtedly confirmed when she saw Sakura storming out of the hospital, flying at excessive speeds down the street and into the surrounding forest. Immediately, acting out of instinct, Tsunade dashed out of her office, sprinting down the hallway and straight passed Shizune, whom was running towards Tsunade's office in what seemed to be a panicked frenzy, coincidentally causing her to spin on her heel, her hair slapping her in the face and her clothing billowing around her as she called out to the worried motherly figure. "Tsunade-sama! This is urgent! Please, it needs to be dealt with now!" Tsunade stopped in her tracks, slightly curious as to what had Shizune so worried, that perplexion lasting only a few moments before she retorted impatiently, "I have no time for that right now! Sakura—"

"This directly involves Sakura-san!" Shizune exclaimed in exasperation. With that, Tsunade hesitantly made her way back to her office, propping herself back into her chair, tapping her heel against the ground, signifying her impatience and distress. "What is it Shizune?" Slowly, Shizune pulled out a manilla folder, which contained a thick amount of paper, and handed it to her former sensei. Tsunade took it carefully, opening it up, before gasping as she read the note attached firmly to the front of the first piece of paper. She instantly recognised the chicken-scratch that was Jiraiya's handwriting; the kanji's scribbled hastily, as if he had little to no time to write it out in the first place. Which may have been the case, seeing as whenever he wrote love letters to Tsunade, he was always very careful with how he wrote the words, or otherwise it would interpret and take on a whole other meaning. Thinking back to that one particular letter that was supposedly romantic, but which Tsunade found highly insulting (as she could not read what he had actually written- surprise, surprise) made her shudder. Jiraiya had been hospitalised for eight months, a snickering Orochimaru sitting on the windowsill keeping him company. The note read, in proper translation;

'_I have found the location of the ones' in which we seek. They have been hanging around the border of the Land of Howling Confusion, and they seem to be after something. I'm gonna keep tracking them for the time being, but will report back as soon as I can. Though I really can't believe that this is actually happening. I can't believe that __**he**__ of all people would do something like that. It's unfortunate that I was not there to prevent it. Tell Sakura-chan that I am profoundly sorry, and I will do my best to correct the wrongdoings inflicted upon her all those years ago. I have also been gathering intel on the Akatsuki's movements, which I have added to the bottom of the pile. I hope that this information can help for the time being, but until I figure out what's going on and what they're after, do not send out backup, and do not send messenger birds or toads. They are already highly suspicious that they are being tailed, and I don't want to arouse those suspicions any further than necessary. But I have this strange feeling that what they are planning is not going to be good. Read the info and devise a strategy; but don't hold it as your best bet- things may change, and then so will that plan. Get Shikamaru to think of something, but don't let him let on that what may occur will actually happen. Make sure he keeps hushed about it. _

_P.S. Hope we can get together once I get back and we can get totally wasted. I'm telling you now, I desperately need it!_

_Jiraiya_

Tsunade sat there, tense and slightly embarrassed about her own little section of the note, which Shizune must have read when she received the folder, as she stood there, giggling ever so slightly. She looked up from the note after she had read it for the second time, directly into Shizune's eyes. "Does this mean that…?""Yes, Tsunade-sama. It is as we feared." Shizune said solemnly, as her former shishou stood up, clasping her hands behind her back, repositioning herself behind her chair once again, looking out at the village once more. _It can't be…._"Summon Shikamaru Nara here immediately. Tell him to bring Kakashi and Tenzo along as well. They need to hear this for themselves.""HAI!" Shizune exclaimed, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. _If it really is who Jiraiya says it is… then this may be more difficult to contend with than we could have ever possibly have imagined… particularly for Sakura… this will affect her emotions in ways we will never compare to…. I hope she's ready for it…._ Tsunade's glance was suddenly fixed upon the forest to which Sakura had so avidly run for. _Jiraiya, you better be prepared… this will affect you quite dangerously too…. Seeing as how close you are to __**him**__ in particular…. _Tsunade let out a sigh._ And you'd better be ready when you get back, 'cause I'm gonna hold you to that drinking binge… speaking of drinks… _Tsunade walked towards her desk drawer, pulling out a very well concealed bottle of sake. Pouring it into a cup, she sculled it down in loud, hard gulps, pouring another as she looked blankly at the wall directly across from her. _I have a feeling that I'm gonna need a lot of this… _And for the rest of the afternoon, Tsunade contemplated on what she would say to not only the trio of people she had summoned, but what she was going to say to Sakura.

Sakura sat with her legs pulled up against her chest, arms pulling them closer to her, her chin resting on her knees. She had been crying for a good solid hour or so, and she just sat there, a blank look in her eyes. Sakura was propped against one of the three wooden stumps that made up a powerful and large part of her memories; the training field where she, along with Kakashi sensei, Naruto, and lastly Sasuke, trained together. Thinking back to that memory made her heart bleed. Funnily and ironically enough, she was leaning against the stump where Sasuke used to frequently inhabit, eating his lunch in all of his splendour and indifference. Remembering that caused Sakura to shed more tears, unnoticed as her friend walked towards her, deliberately taking her time, before sliding down beside Sakura, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. Sakura leaned her head against Ino's left shoulder, her tears changing direction, sliding over the bridge of her nose and onto the clingy material that was the nurses' attire. "I'm so sorry, Sakura." Was all that Ino said. But that was all that Sakura needed before she sobbed even harder.

Kakashi, Tenzo and Shikamaru stood before the Hokage, awaiting the apparent 'urgent meeting- must attend' lecture, wondering what could have gotten her so worked up. Though it was hard to follow her, seeing as she was no longer sober. In fact, she was so inebriated that she started rambling on about how good looking Kakashi was, which made him increasingly uncomfortable by the second. Luckily, Shizune walked into the room, carrying a small vial, a martyred look on her face as she flashed an apologetic glance to Kakashi, to which he smiled back to in reply, though it clearly showed his discomfort of being the topic of discussion. Shizune walked towards the desk, pouring the vial's contents into the steaming cup of coffee that sat on Tsunade's desk. Yes, she really hated coffee, but it was vital that she be sober for this meeting, so it was the only way, and it really couldn't wait. Tsunade picked up the cup, scrunched up her face in clear distaste, before swallowing the contents in a few swigs. She slammed the cup down onto the table with enough force to completely shatter it, and split her brand new desk in half. _Again_. After a few minutes, the contents of whatever had been in the vial took effect, and Tsunade was once again completely sober. For the time being anyway. "Urgh! Disgusting…"

"Well, it's your fault for getting drunk when you knew that you were expecting guests." Shizune stated matter-of-factly, before returning her gaze to the three ninja before them. "Please, take a seat." They obliged, resting themselves comfortably as they waited for Tsunade's verdict on whatever situation was to come. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Back to the reason I have summoned you. There has been new intel from Jiraiya, not only about the Akatsuki, but about _them_ as well." Kakashi stiffened in his seat, his eyes wide yet narrow and deadly at the same time, Tenzo copying his sempai's posture. Shikamaru was still relaxed, but his eyes had narrowed in question, urging Hokage-sama to continue. She did. "They are apparently hovering on the border of the Land of Howling Confusion, but for reasons that are unknown to us as of yet."

"The Land of Howling Confusion?! That's only a country over- three days trip at least! And if we are dealing with who you say we are—" Tenzo exclaimed, his sudden outburst surprising everyone. Since he is in the ANBU black ops corp, he is not entitled to show any emotion whatsoever, no matter the situation. But that didn't stop him.

"Tenzo… calm down. We need to think of this objectively. What they seek may be completely different. There is a chance that they aren't even contemplating on coming to the Village Hidden in the Leaves." Kakashi said coolly, seemingly uncaring as he slouched back into the couch, tension loose, but still there.

"But—"

"Enough Tenzo. Kakashi is right. We need to think objectively. They may not even have a goal that needs to be accomplished through the village. Still, our alarms have been raised, so now we are on high alert. The villagers are to remain unaware at all costs- this is top secret information. Do you understand me?" Tsunade exclaimed in exasperation. The trio nodded curtly, and Tsunade continued in a harsh whisper. "Over the years, ever since _that day_, Jiraiya has been tracking _them_. Following them to all places, never letting them leave his sight. Over this steady period of time, he has compiled a complicated and detailed analysis of the situation. Here is that information." Tsunade handed the folder to Kakashi, whom opened it and scanned the first page. What he read shocked him to the core. "This can't be!" Kakashi roared angrily, jumping to his feet and actually managing to startle, even frighten Tsunade as he raged on. He slammed the still-open folder onto Tsunade's desk, the anger rolling off of him like a never-ending ocean. Tenzo, and strangely enough, even Shikamaru, got up to read the contents of the first page. What it read was enough to bring out a pained choke from Shikamaru's throat; an unusual occurrence for him.

'_It looks as if the impossible has happened. I don't want to __**believe**__ it, don't want to __**think**__ it, but it is the sad and unfortunate truth. I have seen it with my own eyes, and I am afraid I cannot deny this fact any longer. Although it pains my heart to tell you this, Tsunade, but it seems that Naruto has joined up with the 'Taka'; he is in the same group led by __**Sasuke Uchiha**__.'_

"No way…" Shikamaru muttered in disbelief, his shock mirrored by that of everyone else in the room. Shizune's head hung low, looking at the marble tiling beneath her feet, whereas Tsunade's sad eyes looked dead ahead, her hands clasped together under her chin. "But this means that…." Shikamaru exclaimed stiffly."Yes… Naruto Uzumaki…. Is now officially a rogue ninja, and his name has therefore been added to the bingo book, next to Sasuke Uchiha's." The silence that ensued was frightening, the name's of their former students'/friends'/comrades' echoing throughout the cold and stormy night.


	3. Chapter 2 Buried emotions reignited

Chapter 2

Buried emotions reignited

Sakura woke up lying with her arms wrapped around someone very familiar, her head delicately placed in the crook of that person's neck, comfortable and warm as the sounds of the pouring rain pattered relentlessly on the roof, thunder and lightning off in the distance. Although it was seven-thirty in the morning, according to Ino's alarm clock, it was pitch black outside, which was a depressing sight, seeing as Sakura's mood had brightened considerably since last night. As she tried to move, Ino stirred, moaning delicately as she fluttered her eyelids until they were half open. "Nnnn… 'morning Sakura…" Sakura smiled warmly, another rare coincidence, before replying sheepishly, "Good morning Ino." The girls were a tangle of blankets and pillows as they tried to push themselves into a sitting position, but when they failed at it, they flopped lazily onto their backs, lying next to each other, looking up at Ino's lavender roof. "How did you sleep?" Ino asked half-heartedly as she slightly turned her head to face Sakura's, which had also turned to face Ino's. "Uh… fine… very comfortably."

"That's good to hear." Ino replied gently, smiling into Sakura's face. Sakura smiled back once again, before exclaiming that she would try again to push herself up and out of bed. Since the girls' both had the weekend off, they figured they'd do a three nighter sleepover, just the two of them. Sakura succeeded this time, running into the bathroom with the fear that her bladder wouldn't hold, and she sat there, thinking back to the events that took place the day before.

_Ino and Sakura had stayed like that for a while, before they began to talk, making amends to the damage they had caused. Well, mainly Ino. "Sakura, I am really sorry that I said all of those awful things to you. You know I didn't mean them right?"_

"_You were very convincing about the whole 'If you die, I'll laugh at your funeral' shtick." Sakura replied through a feigned, weak laugh, showing the true heartache those words had caused her. "Aw, Sakura, I didn't mean that, not in the slightest! No way in hell! I would never let anything like that happen to you! That's what best friends are for, right?" Sakura nodded a few shaky nods, before returning her gaze to the earth that they were currently sitting on. "And it's okay to still love him… to still love Sasuke… though your dedication to him is unmatchable! I've never seen someone who loved another so much that they would dedicate their lives to bringing them back! And you know what—" Sakura looked up as Ino stood up, only to jump in front of her, grinning like an idiot as she finished her piece. "From now on, I'm dedicating my life to helping Sakura bring Sasuke-kun back to the village!" Sakura couldn't help but smile, wiping away the remainder of her tears, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. That is, until, Ino finished what she was going to say, wanting to see what reaction it invoked in Sakura. "And then help her to lose her virginity to him!" All Ino got out of that was a punch to the back of her head. A hard punch that sent her flying across the training field and into the river a hundred metres away. Sakura had then stormed off, bright red as she stomped angrily towards a place of shelter. _

Thinking back to what Ino had said, the whole _'It's okay to be a virgin, but I'm still gonna help you reel Sasuke-kun in' _made her blush a crimson, tomato red, that only deepened in colouration at the thought of actually… doing _that_. With _Sasuke_. She practically melted into the bathtub, the warm water soothing to her now suddenly aching muscles, dipping her head down so that only her nose and up were visible, her blush more prominent and defined with the clear water, which soon turned into hot steam, making the lilac and turquoise walls of Ino's personal bathroom almost invisible. The water, admittedly, felt nice. In some ways, it was different from feeling it in aching muscles such as Sakura's. It made her wonder what it was like to—again, her train of thought was cut off as a hard knock on the door made Sakura's head snap up. "Hey Sakura! Can I come in too?" Ino's voice was soft, gentle, enough so that Sakura agreed, figuring it was the perfect chance to ask Ino what it was like to have sex. It was embarrassing, but she was curious, and really wanted to know.

Ino slid into the bath carefully, so as to prevent herself from slipping and cracking her head open, before relaxing her tense muscles. "Uh… hey… Ino?" Ino's head snapped up to see a nervous, almost bashful, slightly embarrassed Sakura looking at her with a wavering curiosity that needed its thirst for knowledge quenched. "Yeah? What's up Sakura?" Sakura ducked her head down, looking nervously at her reflection in the water, and Ino could swear that she was blushing, though it was hard to tell through all of the accumulating steam. "W-what's it like… to…"

"Yeah? To what?" Ino urged, her perplexion to Sakura's sudden shyness intriguing.

"To… you know…. um… lose your virginity…?" Ino's eyes widened in utter surprise, and as she thought, Sakura was blushing, and quite brightly at that.

"What brought this on?" Ino asked between giggles, clearly amused by Sakura's shy aversion to the topic, to which Sakura just sunk deeper into the water, obscuring her face from view, but her reflection visible enough for Ino to see Sakura's cheeks on fire, they were that red. Ino could see that Sakura was being serious, so she answered her question as honestly as she possibly could. "Well… it kind of really hurts the first time, when you lose your virginity. I won't lie to you Sakura; that is one time where you could possibly very likely pass out from the pain, or it may bring you to tears, all depending on the person's threshold to pain. But when you do that with the person you love… well, it makes the pain bearable, makes it all worth it. But, in some extremely rare cases, and I mean _extremely_ rare, as in _one_ out of a _million_ men, have this natural talent to bring little to _no_ pain whatsoever. And apparently, they transcend the normal sex capabilities; meaning they're absolute _**sex gods**_."

Sakura had sunken in lower to the warm water, suddenly feeling as if it was too hot to be in (I wonder why?). she felt the urge to hyperventilate as Ino continued.

"God, if only I could reel one of those men in…"

"Ino! You have a boyfriend! He may be a total jerk- ass more like it- but he's your boyfriend never the less. And since you gave up your virtue to him, you're gonna stay with him!" Ino laughed at Sakura's sudden defensive outburst on Sai's behalf- which was weird since she hates Sai, but smiled anyway. "Yeah, I know that! I just wanted to see how you'd react… Hey! You gotta wonder- is Sasuke still a virgin? Oh! No way, not possible! The wonders of puberty… right now, he's probably getting hot and heavy with some lucky chick—" Ino stopped as she took in Sakura's sudden mood change; depression, worry. And seriously, who wouldn't be? Finding out that the guy you love is screwing around with women that aren't you… gotta suck. And someone as gorgeous as Sasuke (the last time Ino checked, but she was sure he was more gorgeous than ever) wouldn't have any trouble whatsoever finding a willing partner, one that he could have just as easily have found in Sakura. Ino looked at Sakura with a type of pity, portraying the guilt that she felt by bringing Sasuke up, when Sakura was only just adjusting to saying his name, let alone talking about his sexual activities (if he had any) with other women. Also remembering what she had said previously, about helping her get Sasuke in her pants, which was stepping _way_ too far over the line. Sakura looked up meekly, accepting her facial apology, before asking Ino an onslaught of questions, to which she answered with utmost seriousness. Most of the time.

Tsunade once again stood facing the window which allowed her a view of the entire village, as she pondered yet again on how she would break the news to Sakura. She knew, even now as she stood there staring out at the impending thunder storm brewing quickly, that she would not take the news well, and the weather was not helping Tsunade's depressed, drenched mood any more than it was causing flash floods and lightning related fires. She let out a sigh. Sakura would be here soon, as she had sent out a summons for her immediate audience. Tsunade figured that she wouldn't beat around the bush, and instead she would come straight out with it, just like every other time she had made a heartless statement, decision or order. But this was different. Tsunade was very partial about how Sakura would take the news, afraid for her health, and worst of all, her sanity. Would this news completely destroy her? She was about to find out, as there was a slight, hesitant knock at the door. _She's here…_

Sakura had made her way to her shishou's office, as she received a summons the minute she had stepped out of the bath. There had been a knock at the door, followed by the familiar voice of, surprisingly and ecstatically enough, Kakashi sensei. "Sakura, you have a summons from Hokage-sama. Can you meet me downstairs? I'll be your escort this eve of your wedlock." There was a hushed giggle from both girls, and Kakashi had this strange feeling that they were both gossiping about him. Though this time it didn't really bother him all that much. After all, they weren't twenty-four years older than him, unlike a certain Hokage-sama that would not be named. As soon as Sakura was dressed, and reassured Ino that as soon as she was done, she would come back so they could continue their random discussion about tying Kakashi sensei down and forcing his mask off, she sprinted down the stairs and threw herself into the arms of her sensei. "Whoa, Sakura! Are you really that excited to see lil' ol' me?" Again, Sakura giggled, the trace of a proper, beautiful smile left painted to her face, leaving Kakashi just a little flustered (again; I wonder why?). "Of course I am! You're my sensei, and I absolutely adore you!" At that, Kakashi blushed, but it was not noticeable, thank the lords, all because his mask remained firmly in place, obscuring his face from view permanently. All the time. And the frustration that came along with that was infuriating. He was apparently the god of his era, the best looking man to grace this good earth since his predecessor the fourth Hokage (A.K.A. Konoha's Yellow Flash/Yondaime/Kakashi's former sensei/ Naruto's father~(Flinch at the last part)~), whom he adored with all of his heart, and was stricken by the loss of him, along with all of his teammates. It was a part of Kakashi that he would never forget, nor forgive himself for, and that's what tore at Sakura's heart. Ever since _that day_, Kakashi and Sakura had grown quite close, so much so that he was now the resident father figure in her life, and she wouldn't exchange him for anyone else in the world. He gave her a big hug, tight and loving, before letting her loose and holding out his arm in that formal sort of way, and she eagerly took it, wrapping her arm in his as they slowly made their way back to the Hokage. _Dear God… let Sakura leave from this meeting unfazed… let her heart completely heal before it's too late… protect her from herself and others'…. Because I don't think I can do it by myself…. _Kakashi thought in that fatherly sort of way, the affection for Sakura burning strong as they closed in on the door, Sakura raising her fist, knocking hesitantly, before she received an "Enter." They walked in, and everything fell apart from thereon.

****

"W-what? What are you saying? That's not… It can't be…" Sakura slid down to the ground, Kakashi at her side in an instant, pulling her into his arms and holding onto her for dear life, as the news sunk in completely. "N-Naruto… he… he wouldn't join an S-rank criminal group…. The Akatsuki is bad enough, but Taka?" Her voice was muffled by the material of Kakashi's jonin vest, which was instantly where Sakura's tears stained, wet and warm as they seeped through, enough to touch Kakashi's skin, which was behind a thick black sweater. As she shook violently, her sobs caught in her throat, Tsunade stood, and walked over to where Kakashi was in mid-crouch, touching both of her shoulders lightly, before speaking quietly, "I know this is hard to believe, but it is the truth. As we speak, several squads of ANBU and jonin are being dispatched to take care of them, seeing as they are in the bingo book." The shock was what stilled Sakura's body, which caused an insurmountable amount of panic to arise, but that's when Kakashi spoke up for the first time since the news was let out into the open. "But I thought that you weren't supposed to deploy any men until you received word from Jiraiya. Has that fact changed, or are you defying the odds and placing Jiraiya-sama's safety at risk?"

"I am well aware of that Kakashi, and I thank you for your concern for Jiraiya, but your mouth is in the wrong place* (a/n: *a saying that is used for people jumping to conclusions, speaking at the wrong time). I have already received word from Jiraiya, who said it was time to deploy ninja, though he hasn't explained the situation any more than that, or he refuses to elaborate as such. So all I know for now is to send them out in the hopes of taking out Taka for good." There was a hushed silence, and whilst they had had their own small discussion, the other three squads that went through everything together, went through the chunin exams together, stood there, completely at a loss for words, stupefied. Lee, Neji, Tenten, Kiba and Akamaru, Shino, Hinata and finally Sakura (seeing as Sasuke and Naruto were no longer here), whom although was in Kakashi's warm embrace, was as still and quiet as the rest of them. The pity and guilt they felt for her was extreme, seeing as it was her very teammates, the two she had grown up with, trained with, the man she loved and her closest friend (aside from Lee, Ino and Hinata) whom had become S-ranked criminals, and were to be executed, according to the bingo book. They weren't as closely attached to them as she was (aside from Hinata and her feelings for Naruto, which still burned strong), so the shock and pain she had to be enduring must have been unbearable for one woman alone to carry. It was then that she finally spoke up. "I won't let you… hurt him… I won't let you hurt Sasuke…" She had said it through clenched teeth, the anger burning and flaring dangerously, emanating in waves off of her rigid, very stiff body, as she slowly pushed herself upwards, so that she was standing. "You don't have a say in this Sakura. The ANBU have already arrived, and are awaiting orders from Jiraiya. That is how it is."

"I won't just stand by and let you hurt him! I _**won't**_! And if there's even a _**scratch**_ on him, I'll _**kill**_ you!" Sakura screamed loudly, pounding a fist against the wall, sending it into oblivion. There was a shocked silence as they took in Sakura's resolve, before the blond sighed, straining with great difficulty as she pushed her next words out of her mouth. "I knew you would say something like this… you leave me no other choice… Yamato! Sai!" In an instant, they both appeared, ready and prepared for their next assignment, which mind you, would be their most difficult. "Take her to the ANBU prison cells. Make sure she is under twenty-four hour surveillance for the duration of time spent on the assassination of Team Taka. Dismissed!"

"HAI!" Sai and Yamato replied stiffly, looking to Sakura to observe her reaction to the sudden and indefinitely- not-something-she-wanted-to-hear news. Sakura made a mental note of that reaction as she contemplated slaughtering everyone in the room (aside from Kakashi sensei, who was at this moment bantering and dismissing the suggestion avidly, anger clearly evident on his usually calm and indifferent features), escaping and taking off after the ANBU that had been deployed to kill the man she loves and her former best friend (ever since _that day_, Sakura has been unsure what to call Naruto) from inevitable death. Instead, she just stood there, waiting for Yamato and Sai to drag her off to her dank, dark, desolate cell beneath the Hokage's Mansion. They complied, taking either arm and gently tugging her towards the door, Kakashi standing there, immobile and utterly shocked at Sakura's resolve, the rest of her friends quiet and more or less lost for words. Tsunade raised her eyes to meet Sakura's, which were filled with cold, calculating malice, sending shivers of horror down the blonds' spine as she continued toward the door. Just as she was about to step outside of the room, Sakura stopped dead in her tracks, pulling Yamato and Sai to a lengthy halt as well. To everyone's disbelief, Sakura turned around, a blank expression plastered to her features as she spoke the words they had dreaded to hear her say. "I swear, if you hurt either Naruto or Sasuke-kun, I _**will**_ kill you. And not just you. If I cannot succeed in keeping them out of harms way, then I will kill myself, that fact I assure you of."

"Is that a threat?" Tsunade rumbled, the anger reaching its' boiling point once more, but before she even had the chance to retaliate, Sakura was upon her, with such blinding speed that it made Tsunade dizzy watching the blur. "No…" Her voice dripped cold venom as she completed her sentence. "That's a _**promise**_." And with that, Sakura left the room, Yamato and Sai suddenly feeling extremely cautious for their own well-being as they escorted Sakura to her temporary jail cell. Tsunade slid to the floor, shaking to everyone's surprise, her eyes wide and bulging as she divulged the information that Sakura has shared with them. _She promised to kill everyone, and if she could not succeed in that, then she will indefinitely kill herself, that I am positive of…._ The onlookers stood silently, waiting for orders as their Hokage regained her composure. _Sakura-chan…. She would __**never**__ harm herself… that is her nature… that goes __**double**__ for others'…_ Lee thought critically, suddenly worried for her welfare. Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the room, Neji and Tenten's reprimands falling on deaf ears as he bolted after Sakura.

****

Sakura walked slowly, calmly, calculatingly, as Yamato and Sai silently conversed about their next mission, thinking that Sakura would not be interested. Quite frankly, it had the opposite effect. She wanted to know, and quite desperately at that, willing anything to help her forget what was to occur within the next few days. Unfortunately, the discussion began to border that of Team Taka and their mysterious movements, and it pulled at Sakura's already aching heartstrings. "There are rumours that say Taka may end up waging war against Konoha, as they are getting dangerously close to the village. You've got to wonder- what exactly are they planning? What is it they are trying to accomplish?" Sai shrugged in a bored fashion, obviously disinterested in the topic, and not wanting to pursue it any more than necessary. Sakura didn't blame him; after all, Naruto _had_ been one of his first and _only_ friends', so she knew he was taking this harder than his cool exterior was letting on. They arrived at a stone stairwell, lit only by a few flickering candles, the dank smell of moss, wet dog and blood clearly evident even after all of this time. Sakura's heels clacked on the stone surface beneath her feet, each step a potential death sentence as they descended further and further into the pits of the earth. When they finally arrived at the bottom, they began to get a little rougher, reining their already subtly strong grip on her into a steel-trap, making it virtually impossible to escape, even with her monstrous strength, dragging her mercilessly across the room to a cell nearest to the far wall of the dungeon. There was only a few split seconds between them releasing her to then throwing her in a heap onto the cell's cold, hard, damp floor, a loud _thump_ audible as she made bottom-first contact with the solid ground, a whimpered grunt escaping her lips. Just as she propped herself up onto her elbows, the creaky steel gate closed, all bars glowing a faint blue as she stared. "Chakra sealing gates, huh? A little much, wouldn't you say?"

"No. Not when you're dealing with the apprentice of Tsunade-sama. Sorry Sakura, but we are under strict orders not to let you escape and assist your former teammates. Tsunade-sama clearly stated—"

"I don't give a damn what Tsunade says! Sasuke is the man I love, and Naruto is my friend! I will not just stand idly by and wait for them to get killed on the pretence that they are the enemy! They are the victims of past and present fatalities, and are deeply wounded by them! All they need is support and understanding, but _NO_, none of you fucking morons give a _shit_ about either of our friends'! You make me wanna—"

"_QUIET_! That is enough from you Sakura Haruno! You are hereby banished form the shinobi way of life until Team Taka is eliminated. Your confines will remain here until a later time." Yamato growled angrily, before spinning on his heel and storming out of the room, Sai following in suit. Reluctantly, he turned around so he was facing Sakura on an angle, before whispering softly, "I apologise Sakura, but I have my orders, and I must obey them, no matter what my personal feelings may be. I honestly don't want this for you, but it cannot be helped, nor prevented. I understand your personal agenda, and if it weren't for the fact that I remain impassive to all of what passes by me, I would let you out of that cell and help you pursue Sasuke-san and Naruto-baka. But I cannot. Please forgive me, even though you already have many other reasons to hate or despise me. Rest up, Sakura."

Sakura remained unreceptive to his quiet but sincere plea, the anger cooling down till there was nothing but a stiff numbness frosting over her core. A small, sad, feigned smile graced her lips, whilst she replied in a definite miserable tone, "You know, that's the first time you've called me by my name. It's usually 'Hey hag', or 'Hey ugly.' It makes me happy." Sai stood there, frozen to the spot as he took in Sakura's sudden mood change. Although he was still impassive to emotion, he could tell that she was sad, miserable even, and that tore at his heart, making him feel slightly guilty. "I'm sorry… I—"

"SAI! You have your orders! Now leave Sakura and get going!" Yamato hollered angrily from the top of the stairs, Sai muttering a feeble "Hai…" before turning on his heel and leaving Sakura to ponder on her thoughts.

****

As Sai ascended the stairs, he thought about whether or not he should help Sakura escape. After all, she _**was**_ one of his friends, and he really didn't want to see Naruto get hurt either. In fact, he didn't want to see _**Sasuke**_ befall any harm, seeing as that would only hurt Sakura and Naruto more, and watching his friends suffer brought more pain to him than he ever thought imaginable. _I'll just leave this unlocked…_ Sai thought as he walked straight passed the open gate, sensing the presence of a very familiar shinobi. "If you plan to get her out, then I highly suggest you do it now, and fast. Otherwise, you'll be in a lot more trouble than it's worth, _**Rock Lee**_." Sai stated matter-of-factly, a faux smile playing on his lips, as he sauntered off to the ANBU headquarters, where he was to be assigned his next mission.

Lee jumped down from the tree he had been so agilely perched in, waiting for any signs of weakness so that he could break into the prison cell that Sakura had been so unfairly been thrown into and help her make her great escape. Although he was aware of the fact that Sakura was still madly and passionately in love with Sasuke, he couldn't help but feel hopeful and protective of her. The rejection he felt was nothing compared to that of the suffering that Sakura must have been enduring, that Lee was certain of, and he felt it was his duty to aid her in her mission to save her best friend and the man she loves. What Lee hadn't expected was Sai to willingly let him rescue Sakura, not even attempting to stop him, even letting him in on the fact that there wasn't much time before her escape was noticed. He smiled to himself. Maybe Sai wasn't so bad after all….

Lee bolted with such speed that not even a blur was notable, the only signs of anything shifting being that of a few falling cherry blossom petals, being blown away in all directions, when there was no wind to claim them.

****

Sakura lay on the cold, damp stone floor taking in all of the rustic and foul odours being carried in the air, her nose scrunching up in revulsion as she forced back the contents of her empty stomach, desperately trying not to throw up. But the chances of that happening were considerably high at the moment. There was a disturbance clearly felt in the air, as Sakura stiffened, ready to take on any incoming threat. What she saw almost made her cry tears of relief. "_**Lee**_!" As she gawked in utter shock, Lee straightened up, erecting himself into his traditional stance. With his legs dead straight and on a slight angle, he attempted to do what we all know as the 'pantene flick', before beaming Sakura one of his devilish, but totally innocent smiles, lifting up his right arm to produce the 'thumbs up' sign. "Sakura-chan, my beautiful lotus blossom of the wind! Your undeniable beauty was what led me here, so have no fear, for I, Rock Lee, am here to set you free where you can truly bloom amongst the blossoms of springtime! That is the spring of your youth, my cherry blossom, and no other flower in the field could ever compare to that of your stunning stature!" A faint blush tinted Sakura's cheeks as she giggled at the massively long compliment he had paid her, before she turned serious and growled under her breath, "What the hell are you doing here Lee?! Do you know how much trouble you'll be in if you get caught here?!"

"Have no fear, Sakura-chan, as I have come here of my own free will, with the intention of aiding and assisting in your imminent escape and rescue mission!" Lee replied without missing a beat, stunning Sakura into silence, Lee's apparent demeanour leading Sakura to assume that he either didn't hear the anger laced in her voice, or he just wasn't paying it any heed.

A soft smile curved on her lips as she spoke gently, for the first time in two years, "Thank you Lee. This means so much to me, but I cannot jeopardise your safety as well as mine." Lee's body tensed at her words, realisation finally sinking in. "You really were planning on destroying yourself for the sake of Sasuke-san and Naruto, weren't you Sakura-chan?"

Sakura smiled again, not surprised that Lee had been slow on picking up that particular detail, but was still touched by his feelings for her. Although she could never love him in the way that he loved her, she still cared for him deeply, and that is why she refused to lose him to anyone, no matter who they may be. She felt the same way about all of the people that were precious to her, so she would not risk their lives just so that she could be selfish and keep the two people she cared about most in the world alive. That would be wrong.

Lee was not happy with her resolve, so he decided to persist. "Sakura-chan, I know that you are doing this because you believe it is the right thing to do, and I understand that you do not want to see anyone you love get hurt," As she expected, Lee could read her like a book, "but pushing us away and continuing to do things by yourself; it's not helping anyone, especially you. Look, we may get hurt in the process, and sure, there is the slightest chance that we could be killed, but that is something that we are willing to risk if it means bringing Sasuke and Naruto _**both**_ back to the village. That is our shinobi way, our nindo. You remember this right? We are willing to sacrifice anything and everything for that sole purpose, so now you must know that you will never be alone in this. We are all here for you, in our own way."

The tears had long since spilled, and Sakura could not help but cry loudly, her heart and soul feeling like they were being slowly ripped apart, her body racked with hard sobs, her sniffles alarming Lee to no end. "Sakura-chan?! Are you alright?! Was it something I said?!" Her sobs were cut short as she choked on a laugh, wiping her eyes and smiling a full and proper smile, one that no one had seen since _that day_ two years earlier. "No, it wasn't you, baka! What you said; it was beautiful. You will definitely make one extremely lucky woman beyond happy! You have the makings of a wonderful poet!" Lee blushed, letting a forbidden thought etch across his mind, before flattening it indefinitely. _I hope that woman could be you, Sakura-chan…_ It echoed throughout Rock Lee's mind as Sakura pushed herself daintily and gracefully to her feet, waltzing cautiously toward the chakra sealing gates ahead. "Lee, I need you to open this gate; otherwise I'll never be able to escape." Lee stared at Sakura in confusion, many thoughts flashing through his mind as he approached the iron bars that looked completely normal to him. "But why Sakura-chan? I mean, these iron gates should be impossibly simple for you to tear down yourself. Right?"

"Not quite Lee. You see, they're chakras sealing gates, which technically means I can't." Again, Lee looked at Sakura for some more elaboration, and she sighed inwardly. "I'm assuming you've never heard of chakra sealing gates then?" Lee nodded avidly, a scholarly look adorning his features. Oh Kami-sama, any second now he may pull out a notepad and pen, ready to take notes like he was in an interesting class. Wait, hold that thought…

As expected, Lee pulled out a small notebook and pen, the passion of learning new things conveyed deeply in his eyes. Sakura whacked him on the back of the head, clearly expressing her annoyance, before cringing in pain, and stumbling backwards.

"Sakura-chan?! What is it?!" Sakura slowly regained her composure, before taking a seat in the edge of the lumpy bed in the corner of the tiny cell room. "I'll explain it to you now. Before chakra sealing gates, Konoha's latest achievement, were fully developed, we were using the system of tedious and complicated seals and paper bombs, if you recall." Lee nodded, eager to her what she had to say. "Yeah, well the ANBU and interrogation crew found that it was using up _**way**_ too much chakra and time, and it wasn't even the best of systems; many of the imprisoned escaped and regrouped elsewhere. So they stumbled upon a new development when certain ninja with certain changes in chakra nature were running their chakras' through their weapon of choice. They found that when they thrust in a great deal of nature elemental chakra into the weapon, it created a type of repelling barrier, and the strength of it only increased when one shinobi of each change in chakra nature; namely wind, lightning, fire, water and earth put in their contribution of chakra, of their own specific type. The extremely, almost impossibly rare shinobi, that have all five changes in elemental and natural chakras' are an even greater asset; as they only need to put in their own chakra, rather than tracking down one of each natural element. When all five are combined, it creates an impenetrable barrier of chakra that can only be released by either the Hokage, an extremely powerful ninja, or someone who contains no chakra at all. Do you understand me Lee? Because I have chakra, and I reached out to hit you, it not only prevents me from breaking out of here, but it also renders me immobile, sucking out my chakra and sealing the remains of it elsewhere, until I am released." Lee clapped one hand down onto the palm of his other, the sudden realisation hitting him hard. "Ah! So that means someone of my particular nature, one that contains absolutely _**no**_ chakra at all, can release you from this jail cell! Am I correct?"

"Yes!" Sakura sighed, exasperated. Trying to explain this could have been difficult, if it weren't for the fact that Lee is very bright, and catches on quickly. Unlike a certain Uzumaki-baka that needed some serious tutoring…. Sakura flinched slightly, and when Lee asked her what the matter was (observant much?), she replied curtly that it was just the after effects of the chakra sealing gates. He nodded in agreement, once again posing and promising to get her out of her evil confinement and into the sun of day (which mind you wouldn't be around much longer-sunset is a mysterious thing, is it not?). Sakura had to smile; I mean, who couldn't? It was _**Lee**_ we were talking about, gorgeous (in a non-overly-attractive-physical sort of way, but rather personality wise), funny, kind and considerate, passionate and youthful Lee, Konoha's handsome beast of battle (figuratively speaking of course). Sakura watched in utter enthralment as Lee backed up slightly, before disappearing completely from sight and reappearing at the front of the gate, his leg in mid-air, preparing to smash open the firm steel lock. They collided, and a loud _smash_, _crack_, _rattle_, _thud_ could be heard as the chain and padlock caved in, meeting the floor as shattered remains. Lee grinned as he grabbed the gate in his strangulating hold, grip only tightening as he hauled the gate right of it's hinges, apparently unconcerned if anyone heard him. And in a sense, he was right to be a _**little**_ cocky; after all, with his speed, they would have _**no idea**_ how or when Sakura had managed to escape, and that thought alone made her smile. "Now Sakura-chan; hop on!" Lee had turned so that his back was facing Sakura, and he was slightly bent forward as he crouched (he was too tall for Sakura to climb onto any other way), waiting for Sakura's full weight to be registered on his back. Again, Sakura smiled (she was doing that a lot lately), before clambering gently onto Lee's back, hoping that he could adjust to her weight (not that she was fat or anything- no way, but just didn't want to hurt Lee in the process). He grinned sheepishly, before disappearing so fast that Sakura almost had the urge to be sick, the sensation of her stomach being ripped out, stretched to another universe before colliding back into her almost to much to bear, but she held on never the less. One second had gone by and they were already flying through the forest on the outskirts of Konoha, trees blurred to lines of green, brown and orangey-yellow as Sakura looked around her in a pained fashion; her head was clamped between the crook of Lee's neck and his right shoulder, whilst her arms and legs had a death grip on Lee's waist and breastbone. "Lee, slow down! You'll get yourself killed!" That comment only earned Sakura a cheeky laugh as Lee continued at the same pace. "This is nothing Sakura-chan! Wait till you see what I can really do!"

"N-no, no, Lee—aaaaaiiiiiiieeeeaaarrgh!" Sakura screamed as Lee took off at lightning speed toward the destination ahead; the Land of Howling Confusion, where Sasuke, Naruto and the rest of Team Taka are rumoured to be.

****


	4. Chapter 3 Twisted Reunion

**To make up for the lack of disclaimers (sumimasen!), here is one to which I will use in the stead of the other chapters- Sumimasen again! Still trying to figure out how everything works!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I happen to own Sasuke! XP **

**LOL bet you didn't see THAT coming! ^^**

**a/n: There will be a lot of captions with brackets ahead that may get a little annoying since there are so many of them, but I wanted the characters to seem a little contradictory, so there you have it, my EXTREMELY LAME excuse! ^^**

**Sumimasen! ENJOY! ****This chapter is EXTRA LONG to make up for any errors I've made! Again; ENJOY, and please review! **

Chapter 3

Twisted Reunion

(**WARNING:** A little lemon ahead- if this disturbs you, then please read no further, though I don't intend for this one to be too graphic! It will, however, become more and more perverted~ at loss for a better word~ along the way, so if you are against this sort of story~ it slightly borders hentai, but it isn't the same- if it is, I didn't realise it, and I apologise sincerely! Let me know when that time arises!~ please do not continue to read, because I do not want to receive any complaints in the near future! Thank you for reading! )

"Aaaaahhhhhnnnn!" All that could be heard was a woman's screams echoing off the thin walls, but not that of terror, nor that of fright. They fell into the category of pleasure. "Haaahhhahhh…. S-S—aaaahhhhh!" It was not gentle, yet at the same time, it was not rough, which made it all the more enjoyable.

At least from the woman's purview. The man in question, however, just grunted, apparently not interested in the slightest in the beautiful woman beneath him, to which he was, at this very moment, screwing quite excessively, the frustration yet to be properly vented. Whilst she screamed out as loudly as she could, the man pondered back to his thoughts, thinking back to all of the events that had recently occurred.

The strain, the anger, the utter misery, the unquenchable desires, all of them and more bore heavy marks in his mind, as well as his heavily overburdened heart, and it was bringing him to the point of quite literally decapitating all living things that crossed him. A wave of static electricity shot through the man, warning him of what was to come, and quite soon. He braced himself as he thrust down harder into the poor woman (actually, I'd say she's rather lucky, and she seems more than content with the sudden change in pressure), trying to find release, but failing, which was quite unusual for him.

Of course, this enraged him, so he went completely feral, anger rolling off of him in waves as he suddenly became violent (which mind you is pretty _**hot**_), pushing harder and harder until he began to hurt the woman (not that she cared).

Then it finally happened, and it couldn't have come at a better time (the woman would probably have died from the force he was applying); he hit his climax, and it couldn't have been better (at least he thought so at the time). His vision blurred slightly, but other than that, nothing else conveyed any of the turmoil that he was going through on the inside, whereas the woman let out a final moan (scream to be frank), before falling back against the covers (she had arched herself into the man's gorgeous, and again _**gorgeous**_ body, clinging to him like he was her only chance of survival~ surprising that she lived at all after all of that), panting and shaking from little aftershocks, the residual pleasure fading faster than she would have liked.

The man simply pulled out of her body, a little whimper of protest escaping her pouted lips, before pushing himself to the edge of the bed, grabbing his attire and began to dress. By the time he had pulled on his whole outfit, and made it halfway across the room, the woman spoke up, more confident than he would have liked. "Will I see you again?" There was a prolonged, eerie silence, before he finally answered.

"Highly unlikely. Trust me; this was a one time thing, and it will never happen again. Get that through your head already, I said this earlier on when you agreed to this." Then he left the room without another word, leaving the woman shocked and completely broken.

The young man sauntered calmly down the street, towards the surrounding forest, the pouring rain dripping down his body, completely soaking him, but he didn't care; saved him the trouble of bathing (but he would still do it, to wash away the woman's scent completely). As he made it to an open clearing, a disturbingly familiar voice rung out, echoing resonantly against the trees. _Urgh… here we go…._

"Sasuke-kun!" The gravely, high pitched voice of Karin came bounding to his ear drums almost as fast as she did into his arms, to which he avidly tried to throw her off, not just because he hated her and thought she was the most annoying creature on the face of the planet (which was most of the reason), but because he didn't want her to smell the scent of another woman; that would cause a _**hell**_ of a lot more problems than he already had, and he didn't think he could contend with the extra stress. Particularly a jealous, moping Karin.

Just as Sasuke managed to throw the woman off, several other voices called out, one in particular bringing a smirk to his lips. "Hey! Sasuke! You're back!" The cerulean/azure eyed blonde came bounding towards Sasuke, faster than normal, and Sasuke didn't even try to stop him as he grabbed a hold of him. "Heheheheheheh! Teme, you sure took your time!" The blonde exclaimed as he held Sasuke in a tight bear hug, to which there was an unresponsive Sasuke on the receiving end of said embrace.

But the fact that he didn't push the guy off of him the minute he latched onto him said that he didn't particularly hate being hugged by the baka either. "Hn. You're still up? I figured you'd be dead to the world about now, hm, Naruto?" Naruto blushed slightly, embarrassed that Sasuke actually noticed his sleeping habits, more so when the smirk only widened into a full scale crooked smile, which he never showed to anyone (well, everyone except Naruto apparently).

"Ack! Sasuke, you can be such a fucking bastard, you know that?!" There were many shouts meant for different things, like Karin squealing like a pig getting it's tail tugged on too hard at Naruto for speaking to Sasuke as he had, Suigetsu encouraging them into a fight, and well Juugo… was being Juugo. Calm and collect, the mediator of the group, he was trying to settle down the sudden dispute that had broken out, which Sasuke thought was a pointless action; they would get over it soon enough only to start another argument anyways.

But he admired Juugo for his serenity and peacefulness, whereas there were a lot of times where he seemed a little apathetic. Sasuke believed it was impossible to be like that, so he was glad to have someone on the team that could also help to keep him in check (seeing as Sasuke was the one keeping Juugo under control from his insatiable bloodlust), and it was a change from the other three loudmouths who were at this very moment screaming angrily at one another.

Sasuke simply walked over to where Juugo stood, his palm resting in the centre of his face, apparently slouching ever so slightly as he tried to block out the noise around him. "Juugo." He looked up to see Sasuke looking at him with what appeared to be the slightest, tiniest bit of concern, but that look was replaced just as quickly with his usual cold, stoic, and virtually impenetrable mask. "Sasuke-sama. Are you feeling alright now?" Juugo asked in a painfully polite voice, the honorific attached firmly to the end of his name, and Sasuke kind of wished that everyone could be more like Naruto and Suigetsu; at least they didn't grace his name with any form of politeness.

He wanted so badly for Juugo to drop the honorific, but couldn't ask, because he had the feeling that Juugo would have already thought up an excuse to keep it there. _I am a person __**too**__, you know… I don't need something as meaningless as a suffix attached to my name._ Sasuke thought in plain annoyance, as he stared at Juugo intently, well that is, until he realised he was actually, more accurately, _**glaring**_ at him, as Juugo flinched slightly, averting Sasuke's gaze and looking pointedly elsewhere.

Sasuke muttered a quiet apology, and Juugo simply shook his head, his normal peacefulness easing away his tenseness, as he smiled and replied simply, "It isn't your fault, Sasuke-sama. You're just stressed, but it will get better." Again, Sasuke studied Juugo intently, toning down his glare as he tried to figure out the enigma known only as Juugo Bipolar. Juugo simply smiled this time, before flinching again as the first sounds of physical contact were heard from the group only metres away from them. Sasuke turned his head on an angle so that he was looking over his right shoulder to the area behind him, only to be greeted with the sight of a very pissed off Karin, and a puddle of water on the ground, the faint sounds of droplets plopping downwards towards Suigetsu's liquefied remains.

Sasuke felt the exhaustion take over, before he decided to break things up. Stepping in between Karin and the now reforming puddle of Suigetsu at Sasuke's feet (Suigetsu's body was half out of the water, showing only his torso, like he was in a lake, when really he was just a thin layer of water on the ground), he looked at both of them, one of his famous Uchiha death glares on his face as he pondered on whether or not he should just kill the both of them and leave it at that.

Karin immediately backed off, leaving a snickering, grinning Suigetsu at Sasuke's feet. Swiftly, Sasuke spun around, so fast that Suigetsu didn't even see it coming. The next thing everyone knew, Suigetsu was impaled to a tree branch about a kilometre away, water dripping everywhere, and a martyred look flashing across his features. Not because he was impaled to a tree branch, but the fact that Sasuke's kick _**actually**_ managed to hurt him. Well, everything Sasuke did to him hurt, you can be assured of that.

"The next time you see it fit to laugh when the situation is indeed dire, I will personally see to it that you are destroyed; _**permanently**_. My chidori could make quick work of you, hn?" Suigetsu froze, sweat dripping from his face (or was it water? You really can't tell with him!) as he took in the less than hidden words~ more like threat~ that had been left for him to implicate. Swallowing hard, he nodded, before slowly easing himself off of the tree branch, no pain whatsoever, thanks to Orochimaru, who had turned him into the slightly abnormal being that he was now.

Kami-sama, did he _**despise**_ Orochimaru for what he had done to him, but in situations like these, he was thankful. Imagine if he didn't have the ability to turn into liquid? Sasuke could quite easily _**kill**_ him. But the only reason he seemingly pushed Suigetsu around like this was because he knew that he could; he wouldn't risk killing a valuable teammate like Suigetsu unless he knew he couldn't be killed so easily. That was just how it was.

Sasuke stalked off in the opposite direction, and to his utter surprise, was dragged off into the bushes and into the deepest part of the forest. The rain still poured down heavily as Sasuke hollered profanities at Naruto, whom seemingly ignored him as he stepped out into another clearing, and right in the centre of it was a large, steaming hot natural spring, which remained at its' current temperature even in this weather.

"I figured you'd need a break, as well as a chance to clean up. You know… after you…" Naruto trailed off, his gravely voice a lot deeper than it had been four years previous (when they had been thirteen, and right after Sasuke had left the village), but still carried that childish edge. Apparently Naruto was unhappy with Sasuke's nightly activities, not that Sasuke cared. Sasuke stripped down till he had nothing on, Naruto following his actions, before they both stepped into the water, the heat welcoming against Sasuke's cool and clammy skin.

They both let out a sigh, and without even realising, Naruto spoke his thoughts aloud, causing Sasuke to outwardly stiffen. "I wonder what Sakura-chan is doing right now…?"

"Do not mention _**that**_ _**name**_ in front of me, Naruto! You know I hate looking back on the past!" Sasuke growled viciously, Naruto cringing at the sudden tone his best friend/brother (figuratively) had adopted, but he quickly turned defensive. "Hey! I have _**every**_ right to want to know how everyone at home is doing, _**especially**_ Sakura-chan!"

"It isn't your home anymore, _**konno usuratonkachi**_! You abandoned it the minute you decided to walk with me, with Taka! You're a rogue ninja, an S-ranked criminal, just like the rest of us! What gives you the right to want to know how everyone is doing?! You left behind _**everything**_ because you believed _**saving me**_ was more important!"

There was an awkward silence before Naruto spoke again. "You already _**know**_ why I left; I wanted to protect you from everyone else, but I also wanted nothing more than to bring you home! Sakura-chan…. I _**promised**_ her with _**my life**_ that I would bring you back… and I still _**can**_… but you're being so _**fucking**_ _**persistent**_ in not wanting to return! Why the _**hell**_ won't you just come home?"

"Because I do not belong there. And even if we were to return, do you _**honestly**_ believe that they will let a group of S-ranked criminals that are in the bingo book _**back**_ into the village, without a second thought? If so, you're more naïve than I assumed." Again, a long silence ensued, the sound of rippling water and the heavy drops of rain pattering all around as they glared hotly at one another, neither one letting down.

Finally, Sasuke turned away, before answering Naruto's earlier question. "I honestly don't know what Sakura is doing right now, and quite frankly, I don't give a shit." And just like that, their conversation ended.

A pain suddenly enveloped Sakura's chest as Lee pounded through the treetops, ignoring the pouring rain as he continued on his way. Sakura gasped quietly, thanking the rain for cloaking it from Lee's ears, as she tightened her grip on him, until it began to ebb away, slowly subsiding into nothingness.

"Lee, I think you should stop and rest. At this rate, you'll only make yourself ill, and I couldn't live with myself if that was to happen." Sakura exclaimed loudly, trying to raise her voice and carry it over the sound of the heavy rain around them. Lee just shook his head stubbornly, before replying sternly, "I cannot do that Sakura-chan. As we speak we are being tailed by some of the village's ninja; they have caught on to us. But they are several hours behind, and if we keep up our pace, we will find ourselves in the Land of Howling Confusion, where we can track down Sasuke-san and Naruto and warn them of the impending threat. So just hold on tight, because in another hour or so, we will be in the country, where we can finally find Sasuke-san and Naruto."

Sakura nodded cautiously, not wanting to tickle Lee's neck (his most sensitive area) and cause an accident. The rain wasn't helping things either, only proving to be an annoying guise, but it was welcomed, because if they were indeed being tailed, then it would have been made clearly obvious that they would not be able to see them for a certain amount of time, no matter how close they got.

That is, of course, unless they happened to have a Hyuga on the scene, using that hindrance (for Lee and Sakura anyways; it proves to be more of an advantage for the beholder) known only as the 'byakugan', the all seeing eye, to track them down. _Oh Kami-sama, __**please**__ don't let there be a Hyuga on that search squad…_ Sakura prayed as Lee jumped onto the next branch, only to be suddenly halted in his movements, frozen to the spot.

Sakura let out a gasp as they were suddenly surrounded, by none other than Shikamaru (explaining the sudden halt in Lee's ever present movements), Hinata and Neji Hyuga (explains why they were caught so quickly- damn you, Kami-sama!), and shockingly enough, Kakashi sensei. "K-Kakashi sensei?! Neji?! Hinata?! Shikamaru?!" Sakura choked out in a very hoarse voice as she took in the sight before her. "What is the meaning of this?!" Kakashi hollered, anger pulsating through his veins as he stepped towards Sakura, who was glued to Lee's back. "I'm not letting this happen; you should know me better than that Kakashi sensei! I will not just stand by and—"

"_**Enough**_! Sakura, your actions will cost you dearly the minute you step through the village's gates! The same to you, Rock Lee!" Kakashi growled through clenched teeth, but before he could get another step closer, there was an explosion, throwing Lee and Sakura from the tree branch they had been forcibly resigned to, Kakashi diving after them as Shikamaru released his 'Shadow paralysis jutsu' (it's former name), Lee acting instinctively.

He flipped around so that when he collided with the earth, he would land on both feet, which he did, dragging his feet across the ground, applying force so that the friction would aid in stopping them. He removed his arms from the bottom of Sakura's delectable thighs (not that he's looked or anything), and flew towards the area that had been mostly affected, Neji in close pursuit. Hinata came over to where Sakura now crouched, concentrating intensely as she sensed for any signs of chakra.

Although they were faint (indicating that whoever the people in question could be~ 'people' because she could sense more than one person's chakra~ were extremely good at cloaking their chakras', also meaning that they were formidable foes), she could sense them, and their exact position, so she also took off, asking Hinata to use her byakugan to direct her through the smoky haze, clasping her hand as they ran right through it.

Kakashi had been the first one on the scene, but could not use his sharingan to find the enemies that had suddenly attacked them. Even as Neji, with the byakugan eye, could not detect the enemies presence. Lee spun in pointless circles, making sure his back, as well as his comrades', were well protected. Yet there was still no sign of Sakura and Hinata….

Sasuke had been alerted to the presence of enemy ninja the second he turned his back on Naruto, and had already thrown on his clothes and left the clearing when Naruto finally clued in that there was something indeed wrong with the situation. Sasuke had already begun issuing his orders when Naruto had come stumbling into their camp, clothes once again soaked by the onslaught of merciless rain. "Urgh, you baka! What took ya so long?!" Suigetsu scolded impatiently, as he swung his sword back into its' traditional position behind his back. "Argh! How's that _**my**_ fault?! Teme ran off without so much as a _**warning**_, which would have been nice!"

"_**Any**_ ninja, particularly one that wants to be the _**Hokage**_, would be able to detect an enemy's presence, konno usuratonkachi!" Sasuke muttered in annoyance, as he held a firm grip on his katana's hilt, testing it for easy access and flexibility from it's current position between the thick purple ropes that had been styled onto him by Orochimaru, the sick bastard. "Ha! Sasuke-kun is right; any _**real**_ ninja would be able to detect a simple interference! You really _**are**_ more of a baka than I thought!" Karin screeched smugly, before being severely reprimanded by Sasuke himself.

"Speak for yourself; what kind of a shinobi, male or female, is unreliable enough to need to be protected constantly by her teammates? A _**useless**_ one." Karin flinched, and so did Sasuke, although he was more discreet about it, making sure it was inward only. The image of delicate little Sakura flickered vaguely through Sasuke's mind, but the childish, fangirl version of the more mature, grown up one that he saw as a complete stranger was the one that he saw; the one he remembered, and the one he was constantly protecting. That fact alone confused Sasuke endlessly.

Why did he bother to protect someone who annoyed the shit out of him as a young boy? Why didn't he just let her get killed? That would have been one less nuisance to put up with, seeing as she was the worst out of all of them combined, except for maybe Ino. Kami-sama, did he _**hate**_ Ino…. But still, that one word, that one question, constantly plagued the Uchiha, and now it was slowly eating away at him, like acid to the flesh.

Snapping himself out of his ponderings, Sasuke readied his squad for what seemed to be a difficult fight ahead, positioning them, before ordering Karin to track the direction that they were to head to. Of course, he had to compliment her as a "valuable asset to the team", to which she was in some ways, but in most, and if Sasuke had any choice whatsoever, he would literally use his chidori and slam it into her mouth, so that she would never speak again. And to disfigure her, but she didn't really need any help in that department.

Blushing and fluttering her eyelashes, she traced the chakra source to a hundred kilometres east, there being five chakra sources, and relatively powerful ones at that (she cannot detect Lee, as he has _**no**_ chakra, so that leaves Kakashi and his team at a slight advantage). They took off at lightning speed in the direction given, Naruto easily keeping up with Sasuke at the pace he was currently moving at, which from Sasuke's eyes, was _**way**_ _**too**_ _**slow**_, but he had to accommodate for his teammates, so he kept a reasonable pace.

Within a minute or so, they were in an open clearing, and already Suigetsu was prepared, throwing a smoke bomb in the enemies' direction, being clearly visible, as they stood frozen in place on several very high tree branches. _Morons…._ Sasuke thought with his prized Uchiha smirk, before darting off to position himself so that he had his adversaries surrounded.

Sakura and Hinata proceeded on the path they had found, hoping and praying to whatever god would listen to protect and aid them in this battle, because whoever their enemy was, they were beyond powerful; well, a select few of them anyways. Hinata nudged Sakura, and with that, their telepathic bond was formed, and whilst making their way towards the area where the enemy had hidden themselves (and quite cleverly at that), Sakura found out the true identities of the group they were about to encounter and fight, and that alone caused an eruption of mixed emotions that could no longer be contained simply by sheer willpower alone. Her worst nightmare had just become a reality, no matter how much she'd convinced herself she had to save them from the death awaiting them. _Why…? Why does it have to be like this…?_ A single stray tear slid carelessly down Sakura's cheek.

Sasuke crouched agilely behind a stone boulder, along with the rest of his teammates. He figured that if he cast a powerful enough genjutsu, waited until the enemy was trapped within its' confines, before his team and himself move in for the kill, then it would go a lot smoother, not to mention faster, and they wouldn't have to expend too much chakra. Besides, it had only been a couple of hours, eleven-thirtyish at least (night time- p.m.), and Sasuke was already frustrated, and it was really starting to bother him now.

The sooner this was over and done with, the faster he could go off and find another consenting patron to vent all of his sexual tension on, and that wouldn't be too hard to do, seeing as all of the women he had encountered of late were more than willing.

As Sasuke waited for the effects of his sharingan-induced genjutsu to kick in, Naruto sat there, fidgeting restlessly, apparently uncomfortable about something. _Wasn't that Bushy Brow __back there? And Kakashi-sensei, Neji, Shikamaru, and Hinata? What about the woman on Lee's back? Could that have been…? _His train of thought was derailed suddenly, as Suigetsu _thonked_ him on the back of the head, causing Naruto's hands to fly painfully to the back of his skull. "Hey! The _**hell**_ was that for?!"

"Pay attention, teinousha! Sasuke's genjutsu just took affect. We could be moving in at any single moment!" The anxiety Naruto felt was excruciating, and only grew worse as Sasuke gave the order to move in for the kill, but that was when he sensed a deadly amount of dangerous chakra, flying straight towards them. Sasuke noticed this, as he had repositioned himself beside Naruto, just as it occurred.

A humungous earthquake slammed into the surrounding area, lifting the hard dirt and ripping it away from the ground, sending it in all directions, the rumbling and shaking of the earths' surface enough to send them flying into the trees fifty feet behind them. Naruto, and even Sasuke, surprisingly enough, had to lean their full weight forwards, pushing themselves against the sudden strain that the breaking earth had inflicted, their arms poised as shields in front of their eyes; hair and bangs slapping them hard in the face, and being whipped around in the empty space surrounding them.

Sasuke's sharingan, Naruto noted, was now ever present, activated and assessing the situation, his brow furrowed in concentration, as if he _**actually**_ had to strain through the dust, flying debris and gathering smoke clouds to see who the intruder was. But Naruto didn't even have to guess; he already knew the answer.

"_**Sa…ku…ra…-chan…" **_

Sakura just arrived at the clearing, when she spotted an unforgettable blonde, spiky mop-top leaning anxiously against a large boulder, four others present as well. Another figure that was indefinitely unforgettable graced the scene, and held her attention for a fraction longer than the blonde had, but it was enough to make her realise that this was the truth, that Naruto and Sasuke had banded together and travelled around as the feared and revered "Taka".

This revelation caused her heart to ache against her will, but she couldn't focus on personal pain at the moment; it looked as if they were about to move. Hinata gasped, before letting Sakura know through their newly established telepathic link. _"Sakura-chan…. They're heading straight for Kakashi-sensei and the others! It appears they're trapped in some sort of impenetrable genjutsu, but I can't be sure… what are we going to do—"_

Sakura didn't even wait for Hinata to finish, nor did she even stop and think over her next move. But there was _**no**_ time for planning ahead, and she had to act _**now**_ if she wanted to save her sensei, and her friends'. Sakura propelled herself into the air, leaking out dangerous amounts of chakra, before descending rapidly towards the ground, fist poised to collide with the barren, drought-stricken earth.

Just before her chakra-fuelled punch hit the rocky surface, she noticed Sasuke move with such speed that if anyone else had looked in that direction, would naturally assume he had been there all along. Not for Sakura, though. She knew Sasuke too well to be fooled. He had gotten a lot faster, and was the most powerful amongst the group, that she was sure of. Then followed Naruto, the tall man with dishevelled, spiked-up orange hair, the man with the shoulder-length bluish white hair and lavender eyes (about the same as the man with orange hair, in terms of strength and skill), and lastly, and obviously the weakest link, the woman with a bizarre hair style moulded from her equally bizarre red hair, red eyes, and thick black rimmed glasses.

Sakura wondered whether or not that woman was special to Sasuke, whether he felt for her the way she still felt, or maybe used to feel (she wasn't sure at the moment), about him. That thought alone caused Sakura to cringe in pain, just as her fist smashed into the earth, obliterating its' untouched oneness, disrupting its' natural appearance and permanently obscuring it.

Boulders of all sizes were thrown around the bare clearing, towards the group opposite her, but that was no what caught her attention. It seemed as if Naruto was looking right at her, even through the now dispersing haze of smoke and dust; no, he _**was**_ looking at her, but that was not what shocked her the most. He _**actually**_ managed to _**recognise**_ her, whether it be through her style of fighting, or her looks, she didn't know, but when he spoke next, and although she could not hear it, she could read his lips as plain as day, and the unparalleled shock that consumed the new battlefield was thick. _**"Sa…ku…ra…-chan…"**_

Sasuke's eyes widened as the name Naruto uttered struck a resonant chord within him. _**Sakura**__…? She caused all of this…? But how did she…?_ He had no time to think, as a bombardment of shuriken came hurtling towards him, the weapons looking sharp and deadly, and were seemingly dripping with an almost invisible substance. _Poison…_ Sasuke immediately assumed, but already knowing, as his sharingan let him see more than just the colours of chakra.

Taking a large step backwards, he flipped so that his body was hurtling towards the sky, before doing a back-flip and landing on all fours', sliding casually across the dry ground in the hopes that the friction of the two surfaces would stop him, and it did, just as another lot of poison-coated shuriken came at him, from many different angles, as if the person manipulating their aim were experimenting for any weaknesses.

A smirk graced the Uchiha's lips, as he sidestepped several of the metal contraptions, dodging with such speed that they all became stealthily lodged in the place where Sasuke had been previously standing. _If they think they can wound me with such useless and tactless means of battle, then they have another thing coming to them… if it's a challenge they want, then that's what they're gonna get…. _Sasuke thought smugly as he unsheathed his katana, bolting forward, instantly vanishing, reappearing from the area in which the shuriken had come from, coming up from behind a petite, powerful kunoichi….

Sakura let out a gasp, spinning around just in time to see Hinata fighting off a very pissed off Sasuke Uchiha. Without thinking, she mimicked the Uchiha's graceful, yet masculine movements, appearing on the scene just in time to trap the Uchiha's katana blade between her index and middle finger, stopping the attack in mid-flight.

Before he could even raise his eyes to meet those of the one who had managed to prevent him from knocking down the Hyuga heiress, he was sent hurtling rapidly towards the ground, a look of slight surprise evident on his usually stoic features.

It very quickly returned to it's normal emotionless guise, almost as quickly as he did a stomach roll through the air, cart-wheeling to a crouched position, one hand resting calmly on the raised up leg, the other leg tucked beneath him to help keep his balance, right arm hanging loosely at his side, hand still gripping his katana's hilt firmly, whilst he slowly looked up to see the one responsible for throwing him off of the tree branch; the one responsible for the prevention of killing the pesky woman known as Hinata Hyuga.

"It's been quite a while, hasn't it…._**Sasuke-kun**_?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, before he answered coldly, completely detached from all emotion.

"Hmph. Well, well, well, if it isn't Sakura. I agree; it _**has**_ been a while, hasn't it?" The poisonous edge to Sasuke's voice made Sakura visibly flinch, a reaction noted by all of the other members. Although the others' didn't have a very good view of her (all they could see was her waist down, because of the thick foliage and shadows obscuring her upper body), Sasuke had a perfect view, and quite frankly, he was shocked, more so surprised.

She had grown up in many ways, and had become striking to the eye, _**beautiful**_ even, not that he would ever be caught dead saying that. And god almighty, had she _**filled out**_. That aspect _**alone**_ attacked Sasuke's hormones in ways that would normally have him keeling over in pain, but he stealthily ignored it, taking into account that she had gotten in his way, as per expected, and needed to be taught a lesson well befitting of anyone who screwed around with an Uchiha.

Which indeed he was about to do, until that _**baka**_ Naruto got in his way, sprinting towards the annoying woman and throwing his arms around her in an inescapable embrace. "_**SAKURA-CHAN**_! Wow, you've gotten to be so gorgeous since the last time I saw you! Not that you weren't before then, but you know…!" Her reaction to the physical contact was a shock to all. Sakura quite literally _**shoved**_ Naruto in the opposite direction; with so much force that he collided with a nearby tree, snapping the thick trunk in half, the splintering noise of the wood giving way was ear-splitting, and the tree came crashing down to the ground, reverberations beating through the ground like a drum, the loud rustling of leaves scratching against the beaten, broken earth almost as loud as the _THUD_ the trunk had made seconds before.

Without thinking, Sasuke was already at Naruto's side, a tinge of worry burning throughout his body as he helped his fallen friend to his feet. The hurt and shock mirrored that of the damage done physically to his body, but he was ignoring it, as far as Sasuke could tell. _What the __**hell**__ brought that on?! I assumed she would do something like that to me, but __**Naruto**__?! What the __**fuck**__ is __**wrong**__ with her?!_ Sasuke thought, suddenly infuriated beyond belief, and was about to settle the matter by beheading the woman, when Naruto spoke up, sounding very broken.

"Sakura….-chan…. what… what'd I do…. for you to want to do…. something…. like _**that**_…? Was it something I said…? Did I insult you by saying you were _**beautiful**_, like you've _**always**_ been?!" Naruto's voice was rising in a sudden flare of anger, and Sasuke contemplated on intervening before things got too out of hand, but decided against it. _**They**_ needed to sort this out.

Sakura stood there, frozen to the spot, immovable. _**What**__ did I…? __**Why**__ did I…?_ As she looked at Naruto's broken but enraged gaze, and Sasuke's cold, emotionless one (slightly calculative too), tears sprung into her eyes, burning the sockets until she thought they would melt, but kept her cool composure, those useless sprites of water clinging, but barely, and began to slowly ebb away.

Hinata's eyes were wide with both shock and extreme panic. Naruto had just been sent through a thick tree trunk, by Sakura and one of her monstrous punches that could tear apart the Hokage cliff a hundred times over, times the scale as well. If that wasn't a cause for alarm, then nothing was. And the broken look in Naruto's eyes, his expression… it made Hinata want to cry, but she refused to do so.

That would be showing a point of weakness, and in a situation such as this, it was far too dangerous, as weaknesses can be used against you, so states the twenty-fifth rule of shinobi conduct. Hinata couldn't find herself to hate Sakura for almost killing the man she loves, seeing as what he had done to her on that fateful day two years ago, though she still fervently dismisses it, even when it came from Sakura's mouth herself.

Naruto could never hurt anyone he loved, particularly the woman he was currently in love with at the time, and that thought constantly nagged at her in a small corner of her mind. Moving agilely, she was now repositioned next to Sakura, who glanced at her with a somewhat of an apologetic expression, before turning back to face the group below them. Hinata followed, her heart laced with a newfound determination.

Sakura stared down at Team Taka, whom were also returning her stare (well, Karin was more accurately _**glaring**_, but we can all peg that down to jealousy), particularly her former teammates. Naruto's gaze had softened to that broken look once more, to which Sakura ultimately preferred that angry expression; at least it wouldn't invoke all the emotions she'd tried so desperately to lock away.

Whereas Sasuke was as stoic as ever, more indifferent, more…. _cold_, _distant_, like there was nothing in this world that could affect him, which was probably right, but that was just a heinous assumption. Sakura knew of the suffering Sasuke had endured through his lifetime, and that alone made her feel guilty for ever fangirling him in the first place. But she did not regret falling in love with him, and even now as she looked at him, those feelings leaked out in uneven proportions, confusing Sakura even more.

When Ino had previously comforted her and told her it was okay to still love Sasuke, it slightly pissed her off; part of her, the dominant part which squashed the other opinion indefinitely, agreed with Ino, but the other part of her kind of wished those feelings would decay, die off, so that she could find a new love and start over. She had had enough of all of the pain that loving Sasuke Uchiha brought along, and wanted to finally achieve some release, some reciprocated feelings. But seeing Sasuke now was starting to resurface those buried feelings of love, affection and adoration….

Yet again, Sakura had the urge to just turn around and run, and not stop until she was safely home in the village, but this was her idea in the first place; warn Sasuke, Naruto and the rest of the group to get the hell away from the Land of Howling Confusion, as the ANBU Black Ops had been deployed to assassinate/eliminate them. Sakura let out a weary sigh, before commenting dryly, "Ya know; it really _**pisses**_ me off to see the two of you off and about doing your own thing, whilst I am back home, sitting locked up in an ANBU imprisonment cell waiting for your impending demises so that I can be released. Do you have any _**idea**_ how _**bad**_ that sucks?"

Naruto's eyes bulged, as he tilted his head in Sasuke's direction, whose stoic look still remained plastered permanently to his features, but the flickering of annoyance at the prospect of being hunted down _again_ glimmered there for mere milliseconds, but long enough for Sakura to see. _Maybe his emotions aren't as dead as he pretends them to be… maybe he's just toning them down more, like a __**real**__ shinobi would…_ Sakura thought imperturbably, before cutting off as Sasuke stood from his long since crouching stance, which was quite odd, considering the fact that Sasuke had always hated staying in one position for very long, always liked to keep ahead by remaining in motion.

Stretching out, he flexed his muscles, starting off with his biceps, and dear heavenly father of God, were they _gorgeous_. Things of beauty to behold. Sculpted pieces of art, along with the rest of his body. They were not massive bulges of pure stultified muscle, but they most definitely weren't small, sitting in a medium range (though he still had the largest muscles out of the males in the group, and of any man Sakura had ever laid eyes upon).

She couldn't help but notice how they twitched slightly with every movement, how they enlarged when he ever-so-slightly flexed his arm into a bent motion, like say when he uses his katana. And… oh my god, he's looking straight her!

His number one renowned Uchiha smirk (which is apparently hereditary) spread across his face as he took in her dazed expression (the others' hadn't noticed, except for Naruto- always Naruto), before turning onto a crooked sort of smile, which knocked the breath out of Sakura, leaving her almost gasping for air. Realising this, Sasuke let the smile change back to his regular smirk, before moving so rapidly fast that Sakura almost didn't see him coming. _Almost_. Without missing a beat, Sakura vanished from that particular side of the clearing (as she did this, she communicated with Hinata, telling her to go and get help while she distracted them), and reappeared on the other.

Unfortunately, Sasuke saw through this strategy, and doubled back, appearing on her branch a fraction of a second before her, sliding silently into position so that she was directly in front of him. _Oh crap!_ Sakura thought as Sasuke went in for the kill. He swung his katana, Sakura ducking and Sasuke's sword missed, but only just, before supporting herself on one arm and spun her legs around in an attempt to trip the Uchiha, but to no avail. Instead, he lifted his legs in a meagre jump that still produced the desired results, before he somersaulted and brought his leg down to her stomach.

Sakura swiftly avoided this by rolling quickly to the side, gripping the tree branch tightly as she propelled herself yet again through the air, her feet coming into contact with a tree trunk. The quiet _thud_ was all that was audible, as Sasuke followed her over, although he was now moving twice as fast as he had been just a few moments ago, to Sakura's extreme disadvantage. She could move quickly when the heat was on, but next to Sasuke….

Ha, she was probably going to die by the end of this fight. Still, she refused to give up. Slamming her heels against the tree trunk, she ran up towards the sturdiest branch, preparing herself for what was to come. Sasuke, on the other hand, had ideas and plans for Sakura, so he couldn't have her running up a tree, _away_ from him. No, siree…. In an instant he was atop her, running in a downwards direction, making some very familiar hand seals… _Chidori!_ Sakura thought a millisecond too late.

His hand poised and ready to kill, he bolted full speed at her, and if she thought Lee had been fast, next to Sasuke, he would have been child's play to contend with. Luckily, Sakura wasn't such an amateur any more. Analysing the situation thoroughly, she managed to narrowly avoid getting hit, simply by pumping a little extra chakra to the soles of her feet, pushing off of the trunk, and using Sasuke's right shoulder to throw herself upwards, looking as if she had just done a one-handed handstand on Sasuke's shoulder, before somersaulting into a crouched position, taking off to the top of the tree as if nothing had happened.

Sasuke pulled to a sudden halt, shocked, surprised but overall, _**pissed off**_. _How could she have dodged my chidori?! Is that even possible?!_ The chirping birds' noise emanating from his chidori faded rapidly, the strain of putting in so much chakra for not just the attack, but for the tree climbing and the genjutsu becoming a bit of a hassle. But within the next minute or two, those chakra reserves would be full, so he stood there as still as a statue, and began to meditate.

_He's __**meditating**__?! What the hell for?!_ Sakura thought in exasperation, as she looked at the drop dead gorgeous shinobi who was currently beneath her, on the tree trunk itself. Sakura was now perched idly on a thick, sturdy tree branch, confident that if the fight got too intense, she could use it as a cover of sorts. At the moment, it looked as if the fight were to be discontinued, and even so, Sakura had _**no**_ clue as to _**why**_ they had even started fighting one another.

Well, Sakura's reason was obvious; she was only defending herself from _**his**_ attack, a natural reaction to her. But what brought on his spur of the moment onslaught? Inner Sakura spoke for the first time in three or so years, bringing a faint smile to Sakura's lips. _'Heh! He's probably scared shitless of the power you muster! Go girl! Invoke the fear!'_

"What, pray tell, are you smiling about, Sakura? One of the shinobi codes of conduct clearly states that you should never let your guard down, not even for a moment, otherwise the enemy will likely obtain the upper hand." Sakura flinched from the close contact, as Sasuke was now quite literally pressed into her back, his mouth and inch or two from her ear, his breath tickling her jawbone.

A pool of heat flooded to not just her cheeks (which were crimson red, like a tomato), but the space between her thighs as well._ Argh! Get a hold of yourself, girl! Sasuke is the enemy right now until I can convince him otherwise! Don't let your traitorous hormones get the better of you!_ Sakura thought in utter disbelief with her weak resolve, and she decided to act quickly before she turned around and ripped his clothes off.

Flipping so that she was now pressed against his chest, facing him (ignoring the now searing heat burning between her legs), she managed to hook a firm grip on his blue-black hair, before roughly tugging it backwards so that there was a gap of space between them. And with that, she managed to break free from his hold, and bolted down the trunk, towards the place where Naruto stood, his mouth agape.

Sasuke was having a hard time reining in his hormones as well. Now that she was pressed tightly to his chest, the inconspicuous bulge of her overly large breasts burning holes into the places they were squashed up against. He fought the urge to tear her clothing to shreds there and then, and was about to make a move, before she suddenly raised an arm up, something akin to determination in her glowing green orbs.

The sensation of her fingers gliding over his scalp was driving him insane, and even as she gripped it firmly, it made him want to take her back to a room and force her into submission (which he thought wouldn't be necessary; after all, she _**had**_ declared her undying love for him some years back). Then she did the unthinkable; she yanked at his hair with such force that it was liable to come out by the roots if it weren't for the fact that that wasn't her aim.

Tugging them apart, he realised that she was purposely trying to create space between them, and that thought alone infuriated the last member of the Uchiha Clan enough to want to make various wounds on every part of her body. She slipped away agilely, heading straight towards Naruto. _I won't let this continue any longer!_ Sasuke thought in temperament, as he took off after her, katana at the ready, blue lightning crackling from the hilt to the blade.

Naruto stood there, completely at a loss for words. _Why are they fighting? What brought all of this on…?_ He thought in complete and utter bewilderment, the sight of the two agile bodies twisting and turning enough to make him blush. Although from their purview (Sasuke and Sakura's) they seemed to be fighting (and they were), but from the eyes of the spectators below, it looked as if they were in some sort of heated confrontation, like at any apparent moment they would rip each others' clothing off and have sex there and then.

How true that could have been, until Sakura yanked Sasuke's hair back, slipping out of his grip, and sprinting down the tree trunk, towards… **_Me__?!_** Naruto thought in a frenzied panic as the woman he had once been in love with raised her chakra-fuelled fist behind her head, aiming for the man who had done her wrong all those years ago.

_Thwack_! Her fist collided with… _**another fist**_?! The _**hell**_?! Sasuke stood there, standing side on, right hand enveloping hers, grip tightening indefinitely. Naruto stood there, looking stunned from the sudden change in who Sakura's opponent was, but grateful, as Sasuke had deflected the punch that would have sent him to his demise. _Why am I attacking __**Naruto**__?! I thought I was coming out here to __**save**__ him, __**protect**__ him, not __**kill him**__ myself!_ Sakura thought in befuddlement, as Sasuke's grip loosened, and he suddenly spun around with more speed than he had mustered the entire time they had been fighting, colliding with such force and power that it sent Sakura through three thick tree branches, slamming her into a cliff face two hundred feet away.

"Gack!" Sakura coughed up a mouthful of blood, her head drooping slightly, as she took in the damage. Four broken ribs, internal bleeding, dislocated shoulder, and a severe concussion. _'__**Terrific**__… just what I need…'_ The dry, sarcastic tone of Sakura's Inner self almost made her want to laugh out loud, but she didn't, seeing as that would only cause more pain on her behalf. Taking a deep intake of breath, Sakura pushed herself forward, already healing her major injuries.

Within seconds, they were gone, no scars to remind her of what had just happened, but the memory of it was now permanently burned into her brain. _I'll remember this, __**Sasuke**__… _She thought angrily as she readjusted her kimono (which happened to be covering her actual fighting attire), contemplating on what to do next. Apparently, she didn't have a choice in the matter. Sasuke came at her once more, lunging out with his chidori-infused katana, bloodlust evident in his eyes.

Sakura crouched down low so that his sword stabbed the empty air above her head, before she reached up and clamped the sword between her index and middle finger once again, ignoring the currents of shooting pain the flowing chidori caused. Bending the katana, it snapped into two, the longest, sharpest part now Sakura's to use to her liking, but she had little time to act. Sasuke had long since discarded the broken remains of the sword, chidori senbon radiating dangerously from his body as he disappeared, no trace of his scent or chakra.

Sakura remained agile, moving as quickly as she could, scouting out for any trace of the Uchiha, but to no avail. To track him, she'd have to remain still, so that was what she did. Stopping, she closed her eyes and manipulated all of her secondary senses, touch and sound her main support. A slight grin formed on her face, as she felt the wind shift to the south-east, the tree leaves rustling slightly, where there was no wind to claim them.

Spinning on her heel, she turned to face the area that had been affected by an unwanted presence, charging at full speed, fist poised for action. Just before she made it though, there was a baritone, deep, resonant chuckle from…. _Behind me?!_ Sakura exclaimed internally, spinning just in time to see the Uchiha sprinting towards her, chidori centred into just his fist, smirk clearly evident. "Sayonara… _**Sakura**_…"

_Crack_! _Spurt_! _Fwoosh_!

**_"Aiiieeeaaarrrrrgh!"_**

"N-_**Naruto**_?!" Sakura exclaimed, as Naruto stood there, blood spurting uncontrollably from his left shoulder, Sasuke's arm half extended through the gaping wound. Sasuke's eyes were wide, splats of Naruto's blood staining his cheek, some dripping slowly, others' not moving at all. "I-I won't… let… you… hurt… Sakura-chan… Sasuke… you… baka…!" Naruto choked through his throat, blood dripping from both the corners of his mouth, hacking up lethal amounts of the red liquid.

Sakura's concern turned into full fledged panic, as she stealthily moved next to the two bodies, gripping Sasuke's arm and carefully removing it from Naruto's wound. _Why am I suddenly helping him? Wasn't I just trying to __**kill**__ him before?_ Sakura's thoughts were so muddled up that not even she could interpret their meaning, even as she helped the shaky Naruto lie on the ground, his astonishment mirroring her own.

As gently as possible, she lifted him so that his head was against her right shoulder, and so that her arms were tucked under his armpits, hands probing the exterior damage, causing Naruto to flinch. The rest of Team Taka were now in the clearing, within vicinity of Sakura, standing by Sasuke's side, who looked completely stunned by both what he had done, and what Sakura was doing now.

Naruto began to move in discomfort, Sakura reprimanding him for it. "Stay still, teinousha! Wait till I've healed your wounds before you decide to do anything rash!" Naruto quietly complied, shocking Suigetsu, seeing as Naruto listened to nobody when he was told what to do. _Who exactly __**is**__ this woman…? What does she mean to __**him**__…? __**And**__**Sasuke**__…?_

The strained silence was suddenly broken by the pained whisper emitted from Naruto.

"W...hy…? Sakura-chan…. why… _**why**_ are you helping me…? You wanted… you wanted to _**kill**_ me before, so why…? Why _**bother**_ saving me…? What do _**you**_ care anyways?" Sakura fought back the sudden onslaught of tears, scolding herself for showing such weakness in front of her "enemies'", before speaking matter-of-factly.

"I'm only doing this because ANBU are the ones responsible for eliminating you. If they had any common sense, they would let me handle this situation."

"Ahhh, I see. That's…. why you're… tryin' to save me… well you know what…? I don't need your help, nor your sympathy!" Naruto growled viciously, trying in a futile attempt to break Sakura's monstrous grip, making her tighten it as he almost succeeded in doing so. "Na…ru...to… stop being… such… a… _**fucking**_…. problem! Quit your struggling and let me heal you! You need all of your strength—"

"So I can get killed by ANBU? _**Fuck you**_!" Naruto screamed, and Sakura blew her top. "No, so you can get your _**sorry fucking hide**_ outta here with Sasuke and your other groupies, that's why _**konno usuratonkachi**_!" Everything went still, the silence prolonging more than anyone would have liked.

"What'd you just say…Sakura-chan?" Before she could even answer, Team Taka had repositioned themselves in front of both Naruto and Sakura, in time to deflect the large bombardment of flying shuriken and kunai, their main targets directly in sight.

**a/n: Haha! End of chapter 3; Twisted Reunion! Hopefully that cleared the air a little bit, and was maybe a **_**little**_** interesting? Thank you for reading! And yes, Sasuke seems a little more OC than I would have liked, but he will return to his slightly normal demeanour as the story progresses! Yeah, and yeah again, this chapter was a little longer than I thought it would be, but I hope that's alright! ^^ Thanks a bunch guys, please review if it isn't too much trouble! **

**Arigato-dono! =3**

**P.S. I might not post any more chapters for the next week or so, seeing as Christmas is drawing near, and yeah, I have to get some stuff organised! Planning on drawing and framing some manga/anime pictures, such as 'Black Luster Soldier' (Totally. Fucking. AWESOME!! XD) from Yu-Gi-Oh! for my maths teacher who has worked wonders on me this year; I have gone from an F student to an A student in the past year! WOW~! (For me anyways; I SUCK at maths! XP), "Ryuk" from Death Note for another teacher I totally adore (funny how you can hate school, but grow to love and respect your teachers! We're besties! Ha lolz!), and a birthday present for a very special friend of mine, though I have NO clue what to draw her! It can't be of a guy, clothed or not, as it goes against her family's religion (not hers though; she'd KILL for a picture of a hot, half naked bishie! XP), so if you guys have any ideas that aren't male/bishie related (say with kawaii anime/manga girls), then please send them my way! ^^ Arigato-dono!**


	5. 4 Unlikely circumstancesTeam 7 reformed

**a/n: Wow! I wasn't expecting ANY reviews, but I actually managed to get some! YAY! Thank you to all who reviewed; I am SO beyond psyched right now! Here is the next chapter, and hopefully it will satiate and satisfy any hunger/demands for the story thus far! I also add my own OC's to this fic from here on out... the main villain joins the party THIS VERY CHAPTER! XP Enjoy, and arigato gozaimasu! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, he isn't my type; I do, however, happen to own Sasuke…. Yes, we have some pretty heated things warming up for later on… XP**

Chapter 4

Unlikely circumstances; Team 7 reformed

Just as the shuriken and kunai were about to make indefinite contact with Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke, along with his teammates, disappeared in a blur of speed so fast it seemed as if the world was moving in slow motion next to them; every movement she and Naruto made was halted and sluggish, seeing as Naruto had a gaping hole in his shoulder, and she was holding most of his weight, the apparent loss of blood leaving Naruto limp and unresponsive in her arms. _Great… he's out cold…_ Sakura thought mildly as she gingerly slung his right shoulder over and around both of hers, moving just in time to avoid the first group of sharp weaponry, which settled in the ground on which she and Naruto had just been sitting on moments beforehand.

Sasuke had charged with such speed and intensity that none of the ANBU members that had gathered in the clearing had time to see, let alone react. Unsheathing his katana, he bent forward on his left leg, resting all of his weight on it as he spun around and kicked three of the five ANBU members into the tree trunks several feet away. He then disappeared, appearing behind the remaining two ANBU, his back to them. Sheathing his katana once more, he sauntered off casually towards the area to which he saw Sakura take Naruto, apparently not worried about the ANBU just several inches behind him. Why should he be? After all, they were lying dead on the rocky ground beneath they're bodies', blood seeping into the soil and pooling around them like a puddle steadily growing from a long, stormy day.

Sakura had placed Naruto against the base of a tree, and started healing the wound on his shoulder, when Sasuke appeared in the small, open area Sakura had found a few minutes earlier. Funny; if she had had her back completely turned to him, she would not have been able to sense his presence, nor hear him approach. _He really has become more powerful…. _Sakura thought idly as she pulled Naruto's t-shirt back over his head, wound completely healed._ Lucky he has the nine tailed fox inside of him; otherwise he would have been __**long**__ dead…_

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke's cold, calculating voice penetrated her thoughts, making it impossible to remember what she had been previously thinking about. She detected malice, pure and simple, as she scanned over his question, analysing it like it were a question on a test; like she had to check to be sure it was safe to answer. And answer she did. "I came here to warn you that ANBU were coming to assassinate you, but it seems I arrived a little too late. They're already here. Oh, unless it was _your_ fault that I couldn't get anything out; after all, _you_ started that fight- I was only trying to _defend_ _myself_ from you!" She muttered sarcastically, and without missing a beat, Sasuke retorted cockily, "Try a little harder next time; you might actually interest me in a fight, not bore me to tears."

"Ha! That's rich! Coming from the man whom only minutes ago completely missed me with his chidori; the ultimate attack!" Apparently Sasuke did not like the implication, nor the reminder of the recent transpired events, as he actually became very angry. "You think just because you managed to vaguely miss my attack that that makes you _better_ than me? Makes you _stronger_ than me? Like _fuck_ you are! You have _nothing_ on _any_ of my teammates, and you couldn't even hold out on defending yourself from that bombardment of _kunai_ and _shuriken_! You're just as weak and pathetic as you were back then; a burden of a kunoichi with zero talent and no common sense! Any shinobi, regardless of sex," the word jolted something within both Sasuke and Sakura, causing similar effects on both parties', "has some measure of talent, but you've never shown any whatsoever. So what you can cause a few earthquakes? What's the use of that power if you cannot use it correctly?! Just as I said to you back then; you are a nuisance, a waste of space, and need to get a life outside of hunting me down!" Sakura would have normally backed down and burst into tears over what _he_ of all people had said to her, but she had had enough. First Ino, then Tsunade, then Yamato, then Sai, then _Lee_, and finally Kakashi-sensei, and quite frankly, she was sick and fucking tired of being called a nuisance, and certainly did not want to hear that she was a waste of space and had no talent as a ninja.

"How fucking dare you?! How fucking dare you tell me that I am a waste of space?! I live, I breathe, I fight and I love, and that is what makes me human, what makes me _alive_! I have a purpose in life, otherwise I wouldn't have been born into this world, and I think I finally understand what that purpose is; to kick a certain Uchiha's ass and prove to him that he isn't the only person in this world who should have the privilege, the _right_, to live, and to prove to you that you aren't as hot as you seem to think you are!"

"Hmph. As I recall, you were the one with a soft spot for my looks back then,

_Sa-ku-ra_. Or was it just my ass that appealed to you?" Sasuke replied in a taunting manner, loving the reaction it invoked in the pink haired kunoichi.

"You fucking bastard! I'll _kill_ you!"

"Heh. I'd like to see you try." Sasuke whispered in his deeper, baritone voice, causing a little fire to ignite between Sakura's legs that she would much rather not have right now. _Dammit Sakura, rein in your fucking hormones! There is __**no**__ time for dirty thoughts to seep into your head!_ But Sakura couldn't help it. Even as she charged in pure, blindingly white fury at the smug Uchiha across from her, she kept thinking about her earlier conversation with Ino, and what it would be like to be intimate with this very man she was currently throwing a chakra-charged fist at.

The heat of a sudden red flush caught Sasuke's attention almost immediately, as he dodged Sakura's kicks and punches with ease. _Hmmm, something isn't quite right… she seems more distracted this time around....?_ Sasuke thought dully as he ducked down to the ground, easily avoided her splayed out kick. His theory was only proven when he moved at her, fist poised for a punch. He saw her cheeks redden to an even darker shade, as he realised with profound amusement that she was more or less extremely attracted to him. Okay, she always had been, but he'd grown up since then, making him even more of an untouchable item she would want that much more. He smirked, closing in on her, the proximity between them finally being closed, as he slammed her back up against a tree, chest pressed to hers, and his groin resting against her upper torso (he was a lot taller than her). Her breathing hitched, and that was when he knew he had her, pinned and utterly defenceless, and Kami, was he loving every second of it.

_Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, __**ohmygod**__!_ Sakura thought in a hushed panic as she realised what had just happened. Sasuke had realised her weakness; he'd always known, right from the very beginning. She felt her breathing completely halt as she took in his scent; strong, masculine, but had a sweeter edge than a full on mens' aftershave, and it was slowly driving her insane. As was his very muscular body being pressed to hers in an extremely intimate, awkward sort of way. You remember the fire from earlier on right? Well, it just blazed to life; a million times larger than before, spreading to every pore and fibre of Sakura's being, causing her to shudder in an uncomfortable sort of 'guilty pleasure.' After all, she was indulging on the man she had sworn she would show up seconds before. "Hmph. You haven't changed; still as naïve and predictable as before." The anger that welled was indefinitely squashed though and replaced by shock and embarrassment as Sasuke's right hand wandered down her thigh, stopping just centimetres away from an area she would much rather he avoid completely. One of those thin, blue-black eyebrows arched in profound amusement, only to become more so when he inched his hand closer. Sakura's face went a tomato red, as she tried futilely to shove him off, but to no avail. Instead, she regained what little of her composure she had left and spoke up, ignoring the probing hand that was itching to move in closer to it's desired goal and destination. "Ha. Funny that; I guess you are right about one thing- I _am_ still attracted to you, but it isn't love, so I'd appreciate it if you'd remove your hands from my body. After all, an _engaged_ woman has every right to keep her virginity until she is married." She lied through her teeth, hoping he would take the bait. And he did.

_Since when was she __**engaged**__?_ Sasuke thought in disheartening annoyance, a tinge of jealousy coating his inner thoughts as he stared stoically at the woman whom was at this moment squirming to break his grasp. Taking in a full body sweep, he felt the instant urge to rip her clothes to shreds and punish her for what she had just said. _And a __**virgin**__? __**That's**__ a surprise. _Sakura coyly looked up at him, a completely demure and innocent look on her face as she futilely attempted to escape. All it was earning her was permanent residency in his bed. _This should be entertaining then..._ Sasuke inwardly smirked, expressing it outwardly as well, just so Sakura knew that that fact would not affect _anything_, his resolve, _nothing_.

_Aw crap! What have I gotten myself into?_ Sakura inwardly cursed as Sasuke craned his neck down to meet her ear. What he said to her next almost made her melt in his arms. "Whether you are an engaged person or not does not concern me; me touching you though _does_, and I always get my way, _Sa-ku-ra_." She let out a gasp as his hand moved to the hem of her pants, and before she even knew what she was doing, she had punched him in the face. _**Hard**_.

_Crap, I have to get out of here! _She thought in sheer panic as she took off into the forest, a furious Sasuke hot on her heels. Why does he have to recover so quickly?

"Hey Sasuke! Where are you?" Suigetsu hollered out, annoyed that there had been no reply from their supposed "leader". Karin trudged sulkily alongside Juugo, apparently unhappy that Sasuke had left her with the other two teammates she really despised (well, Juugo was alright in her books; that is, when he isn't on a bloody rampage.). _Stupid woman..._ Suigetsu thought wryly as he continued to storm through the rainforest around them, his executioner blade cutting through all of the surrounding foliage, similar to when it was carving people into two.

Sakura was panting heavily now. She had been on the run from Sasuke for the past half hour, and quite frankly, she was reaching her limit. Not because of the running, no siree; because of all of the chakra she had used earlier in her fight with the last remaining prodigy Uchiha, and the amount she was using now to help her put some much needed distance between the two of them. Sakura didn't think that she could handle another close encounter like that again; it would likely end with her willingly giving up her virginity, and in any other circumstance or situation, she would have, but since she still had a point to prove, she knew that that wasn't an indulgence she could afford. So here she is now, running for her life, Sasuke gaining speed and catching up with her quite easily, no sweat noticeable on his body at all. _Where are you when I need you...?_ Sakura thought in desperation as she pushed herself well over her limits, her body now beginning to succumb to the ache.

Suigetsu strolled casually into a small clearing that looked to have been inhabited a short while earlier, but was now barren, swinging his executioners blade violently in all directions, clearly portraying his agitation and bordering pissed offedness to the whole world. "Where the hell is he?!" He exclaimed angrily, agitation slowly turning into aggression, as he stabbed his overly large sword into the ground, embedding it there and creating a large crack on either side of it. "Would you pipe down?! There could be enemies' here, waiting to ambush us, and we wouldn't even know it!" Karin screeched in a hushed, gravelly whisper, afraid that they would attract unwanted attention. "Oh geez, I wonder why you're so worried about us all of a sudden?! If your precious _Sasuke-kun _were here, you would be totally reliant on him and unworried about our safety!" Suigetsu snapped angrily, sick to death of this woman's infatuation with someone who he could possibly call his friend.

They began to bicker once more, their heated argument about to escalate further when Juugo, the calming voice of reason, spoke up. "That is Naruto over there, correct?" Suigetsu turned from Karin for a moment, swerving his attention to where Juugo was pointing. There, he noted blonde spikes falling gracelessly into the azure eyed boy's face, the man in question unconscious and content to use the tree as his cushion. "Urgh, the baka! Yeah, Juugo, you're right, it's him." Suigetsu, completely forgetting about his sudden flare of anger and resentment towards Karin, stalked towards the blonde, number one hyperactive-knuckleheaded ninja known as Naruto Uzumaki. When Suigetsu had first met him, he didn't seem like much, but then he noticed the unspoken bond between both him and Sasuke, and found it both strangely fascinating and kind of unruly; Sasuke was quiet, hardly ever spoke a word unless he was giving orders or explaining a plan or situation, whereas you had trouble trying to shut the idiot up (Naruto). The only time he didn't really talk was when he was eating ramen; he never got out of the habit of talking in his sleep, alas. Still, Suigetsu was kind of fond of Naruto; growing to like him more and more each day. After all, he was someone he could talk to about anything, and not be judged for it. That was one of the things that made Naruto so likeable and what made him Naruto in the first place; never judging anyone for the mistakes they had made in the past, and learning to accept and embrace that person just as they are. It was just in his nature to do so. Suigetsu smiled fondly, before smacking the teinousha on the top of the head, causing Naruto to instinctively raise his arms to his now throbbing skull. "Ow! Hey, the _**hell**_—Oh! Suigetsu! Heheheheheheh! What're you doin' here? I figured you'd be off looking for Sasuke, and—_**Wait**_! Where's Sakura-chan?!" He shook his head from side to side, as if doing this would help him to find the person he spoke of. "I dunno. Probably on the run from him, as we speak." Suigetsu grinned cheekily, remembering the way Sasuke had very subtly, but not subtly enough, checked the woman in question out, the way his posture had tensed and his onyx eyes turned into liquid pools of midnight black as he glared at her. _His way of showing his appreciation for the opposite sex..._ Suigetsu thought in bewildering amusement, chuckling at his own inside joke. He felt Karin's glowering glare on his back, and Juugo's calm and thoughtful look was noticeable from his peripheral vision. "What's up, Juugo? You have somethin' to offer up?" Juugo nodded in acknowledgement of Suigetsu's question, his brow furrowing as he concentrated on what was bothering him. "That woman.... Sakura, was it?" Juugo turned to look at Naruto, who in turn nodded his head in a gesture to say 'yes it is', before he continued talking. "Sakura-san," (never without a polite suffix), "she is a medical ninja from Konohagakure; your old village, is she not Naruto-san?" Again, Naruto nodded, wondering in confusion where this was leading up to. "Yes, well, I was thinking... if it wasn't too much to ask, well... whether or not she could heal my... _disease_." The last part was said with emphasised distaste; making it plainly obvious that he hated his abnormality more than anything else (he's too _nice_ to hate anything else though!). Naruto's eyes sparkled in excitement as he recalled all of the times she had ever used medical ninjutsu to heal not just him, but _anyone_ who was injured, enemy or not. Speaking of, his wound was already completely healed, and there was no remnant of pain that he could detect, causing that feeling of pure ecstatic elation to balloon out of proportion. "Yeah, of course she would! Sakura-chan loves to help all people, whether we're the enemy or not! See! She healed me!" Naruto grinned sheepishly as he lifted his shirt up; to not only expose his left shoulder where the wound had once been, but his whole chest, which had drastically changed since he was a child. It was now more toned and defined, the muscles on his chest rippling as he giggled rather than chuckled. His tan had darkened considerably, making him seem like a dead serious hot surfer dude rather than the tittering ninja he was. His biceps were larger, nothing next to Sasuke's, but still reasonably proportioned and suited his posture perfectly, scars riddling every inch of him, though only making him match his newest slogan after _"Believe it!"_; "No one is perfect." That alone made Suigetsu smile properly, but that smile quickly diminished and became a smirk; Karin was ogling Naruto, drooling was becoming a serious prospect from Suigetsu's purview. Letting out a choked laugh, Suigetsu snickered, his normal toothy grin spreading quickly as Karin finally snapped out of her stupor, blushing furiously, adjusting her thick, black framed glasses that had slid down the bridge of her nose out of habit when she was in denial about one thing or the other. "Heh. Karin... was it just me, or were you just _checking out_ the dobe?" Naruto glowered at Suigetsu, growling under his breath and pointing out that that was not a suitable name for him, to which Suigetsu's strangled reply was, "Oh yeah, _konno usuratonkachi_ or _loser_ fits you much better!" Met by protest once again, Suigetsu moved away from Naruto and towards Juugo, just in time to avoid Karin's tackle, which instead became set onto Naruto. She crashed into him, whilst his shirt was still pulled up above his breastbone area and stuck around his elbows, meaning that he was totally defenceless to her roaming hands. But Karin would not give Suigetsu the satisfaction. No siree. "You _asshole_! I _was not_ ogling _this_ fool; I was just surprised about his wound! I mean, he has scars all over his body—"

"Oh yeah, that is _so_ like you to notice that."

Karin gritted her teeth together, doing her best to control her anger which was now building up to an S-ranked explosion. "And yet there is no trace of a scar left from Sasuke-kun's attack. So that was what had me so.... _surprised_." For loss of a better word, Karin left it at that, pleased with her transparent story that only an idiot would fall for. Hold that thought....

"Oh! So _that's_ why you were looking at me like that, Karin-chan! Phew, for a second I thought you were going to eat me alive or something!" Suigetsu and Juugo both sweat-dropped, eyes twitching slightly at his complete idiocy. Little did he know how close his metaphor had come to real life...

"Ah, yeah, see! Naruto-kun believes me!" Karin proclaimed indignantly, slightly shaken by her dumb luck, but not letting that deter her.

"-_kun_?" Suigetsu and Juugo exclaimed in utter amusement, causing Karin to blush again and Naruto to sit there, brow furrowed in confusion at what was going on around him. _Kami, how __**stupid**__ can ya get...?_ Suigetsu thought sarcastically whilst looking at Naruto. _Dense much...?_

It was going to be long afternoon; the war of retorts and flying fists was about to begin.

Kakashi hurtled through the trees, propelling himself forward as far as he could manage without slipping. It was still raining, making it very plausible for him to slip and lose his gripping on the tree branches he was currently sprinting on and off of. He sighed inwardly, the stress, worry and exhaustion seeping through, making him slightly more unfocused and drowsy than he would have ever liked in a situation such as the one they were currently in. _Sakura...._ He thought sadly, imagining what kind of pain and suffering she had to have endured once seeing her formers' again. _Don't worry... I'm coming.... so hold on for a little longer...._ Kakashi let himself drift into a relapse of memories, remembering the forming of Team 7, the first day they had become a family of sorts.

_Kakashi sauntered casually towards the classroom ahead, unconcerned that he was indeed over three hours late, seeing as this group would not be able to withstand his method of teaching anyways. He reached the door, and just as he slid it open, a clearly audible __**'Thud!'**__ could be heard, a gentle __**'Thump!'**__ was felt as a blackboard eraser collided with his head. Kakashi tilted his eyes into a slanted fashion, cocking them upwards to see how that had happened. 'Ah... I suspected as much, the minute I walked up to the door... It was suspicious for a door to be left so carelessly open, even if only a crack, whilst a teacher is not present.... hmmm, I wonder, which one of the idiots did this...?' The question in his mind was answered almost immediately, as a cackling laugh erupted quite suddenly, catching him by surprise ever so slightly, before he turned to look at the blonde boy with three distinctive whiskers on each cheek. 'This must be the nine-tailed fox's vessel.... __**Naruto**__**Uzumaki**__, hm?' _

"_Hahahahahahaha! I can't believe he fell for __**that**__! Hahahahaha!" His gravelly voice grinded mercilessly in Kakashi's ears, and was starting to bug him already, when a second, softer, feminine voice spoke up. _

"_I am __**so**__**sorry**__, Kakashi-sensei! Naruto is just being an annoying little pest, like always! I would __**never**__ do anything like that!" Kakashi eyed her carefully, taking in her full appearance in detail. 'Hm... so this is __**Sakura Haruno**__.... reminds me so much of her father, personality wise.... rest in peace Miyano-san....'_

_Kakashi then turned to look at his final student, the third of the trio, a solemn, grave look settling on his laid-back features. 'So this is __**Sasuke Uchiha**__.... the remaining Uchiha in the village... What he must have witnessed that night all those years ago... poor boy.... Revenge drips off of him like rainwater... So you're still chasing after __**his**__ shadow are you...?You still wish to kill your elder brother, Itachi, don't you...?'_

_As if he had read his mind, Sasuke looked up and glared at Kakashi, causing Kakashi to raise an eyebrow in return. 'Guess I'd better say something, to clear the air...'_

"_Hmmm.... My first impression of this group....." _

_Naruto and Sakura had moved so that they were standing in front of Sasuke, who was sitting on one of the elevated school chairs, staring at him expectantly. He obliged happily. "You're a bunch of idiots." He smiled through his mask, his eyes crinkled into slits that made him look so innocent and cute, when really that was only a guise; a guise to hide all of the pain and suffering he had endured over his lifetime thus far. Naruto, Sakura as Sasuke __**all**__ sweat-dropped, eyebrows twitching, moods plummeting, and faces paling as they took in Kakashi's comment/statement. _

'_They really __**are**__ a bunch of idiots... they don't seem to see the hidden meaning behind those words...' Kakashi thought wryly, as he turned on his heel and stated in what appeared to be utter boredom, like he had done this a hundred odd times before (which he had), "Eat your lunch and head to the bridge near the village's entrance. I'll meet you there." And with that, he sauntered out of the room, leaving the door hanging wide open, the trio staring after him, mouths' agape. _

_Kakashi stood in front of the memorial stone, staring at it, as if it contained all of the secrets of the world, and had to be decoded in order to be understood. He had stopped kneeling a while ago, when he had decided to stop telling Obito what had been going on, as he did several times a day, and after he had laid down his gift of respect and mourning. He smiled sadly as he let his gaze travel upon his best friend's name, the memories of __**that day**__ bringing back the constant, ripping ache in his chest. Kami, was he lonely! He missed his friend more than anything else, aside from his father, sensei (the 4__th__ Hokage), and other close friend and teammate Rin. They were long gone, yet he still couldn't help but wish he could go back and clear up the past misunderstandings, the childish, foolish mistakes he had made. Maybe then they would all still be alive, here, with him, where they belonged. Kakashi's eyes grew heavy, exhaustion from rising so early in the morning (every morning) finally taking it's toll. He shook off the weariness, the sleep, and returned to gazing sadly at the names' of his loved ones._

"_You have been standing there for quite some time, Kakashi. Is there anything the matter?" Kakashi turned around to be faced with the 3__rd__ Hokage, pipe alight and smoke rising from it's funnel at the end, smiling wearily, eyes crinkled up, making him seem slightly older than he actually was. "Hokage-sama." Kakashi said quietly, bowing out of reverence and veneration. "Now now, no need for that nonsense. I expect that from the little leaves of the village, not full fledged blazes of fire such as yourself." Again he smiled, only this time at his philosophical comment, and not because it was in his nature to do so. Kakashi smiled back, feeling slightly touched by both the Hokage's comment and concern for him. "But back to my earlier question; are you feeling alright, Kakashi? You seem out of sorts lately, which is unusually odd for someone of your prestige and rank in society. Tell me; what is it that ails you?"_

"_Nothing at all, Hokage-sama. Just a little... __**reminiscent**__, I suppose."_

_The 3__rd__ nodded in understanding, before continuing. "Ah, yes. Looking back on the past and reliving every sensation, every feeling, every __**memory**__. And at times this is something we all need to do; look back, acknowledge and accept your mistakes, and move on. But a little too much can cause some very negative and dire consequences for your entire future. Tell me Kakashi, how many times a day do you come here to reflect on your mistakes of the past?"_

_At that, Kakashi was silent, but the Hokage had expected so. He already knew._

"_This is a new beginning for everyone; it's never too late to learn to move on and love again; it is apart of life, and a part of what it means to __**be alive**__. It won't hurt you to let go, but you seem avid in holding onto broken ties; those old bonds you formed with Minato, Rin and Obito still burn strongly within you, and that is perfectly understandable; after all, they were the most precious things you had in your life after your father's incident all those years ago." Kakashi flinched, and the 3__rd__ felt a tinge of guilt at the mention of his father, whom had committed suicide and left Kakashi to fend for himself as a small child. "But, they would not want you to cling to what ever is left of them you can find solace in, because that is the same as giving up, surrendering, and no shinobi of such talent, honour, praise, distinction and status would want a fate such as that. You should know better Kakashi; you are one of Konohagakure's stand-out prodigy's."_

"_Being a prodigy does not make me any different from any other human being; I feel pain as any other would, and I grieve just like any other would. It is something no human being can ignore, and at the same time, what makes us all the same; we have emotions, and they are there for a purpose; it is what makes us what we are. If we did not have the ability to relate on an emotional scale, then we would be the same as a robot, or an object, something inanimate, that does not hold any feelings of attachment. You should know this, Sarutobi-sama." _

_He smiled at that, the fondness he felt for Kakashi still strong even after all of the years he had known him. "Hahahahaha! You haven't changed after all of these years, Kakashi; still stubbornly persistent about what you believe in. That is a change for the better though. But heed my advice; it is alright to move forward. You will eventually find something worth protecting once more, and you will have no regrets; believe me, __**I**__ of all people should know." With another heat-warming smile, Sarutobi left the clearing, leaving Kakashi standing there, still doubtful and incomprehensible about the 3__rd__ Hokage's advice to him._

Kakashi broke from his reverie for a moment, long enough to have his own individual thought. _You were right, Sarutobi-sama.... I really __**did**__ find something precious to me, something I was willing to risk anything and everything to protect; I found that in those three idiots I can now safely call my students...._ A small smile graced Kakashi's lips, as he sped along, letting the memories flood back to him, in a reasonably sequential order.

_Kakashi approached the designated meeting place on the bridge by the river, where he was met by a rowdy commotion. "You're LATE!" Naruto practically screamed, as he stood with his legs spread apart, pointing an accusing finger at the man in question. "Sorry. There was a ladder, and you've heard the rumour about that, so I had to take the long way. And stop pointing; it's a rude gesture."_

"_Bullshit! And hell no! It doesn't take FOUR hours to take the long way around the village! What the hell were you—?!"_

"_NARUTO!" Sakura came up from behind the person being held in contempt, before smacking him on the back of his head, reasonably hard. "OW! Sakura-chan! What the hell was that for?!"_

"_For speaking to Kakashi-sensei with such disrespect; he is our master, and you have absolutely NO right whatsoever to speak to him like he was an underclassmen! So SHUT UP!" Kakashi smiled warmly at Sakura, whom was at this moment severely reprimanding/scolding Naruto for his blatant display of rudeness to their senior, whilst Sasuke just sat there stoically, knees splayed out in front of him, his elbows propped gingerly on them, clasping his hands together in their usual fashion under his chin. 'Heh... define typical...' Kakashi thought as he looked at the indifferent Uchiha, whose only signs of living were breathing, and the occasional glance at the bickering pair that were to be his future teammates. 'Hey, you think __**you've**__ got it tough? I have to __**teach**__ the two of them, along with you. All you have to do is put up with them for a couple of hours a day.' Kakashi had thought suddenly, surprising himself and catching him off guard. 'That is, of course, __**if**__ you make it to be my students, and the future for the village.'_

"_Okay, now we're gonna start the day off by introducing one another to the rest of the group. Hmmm.... you, on the right." Kakashi pretended as if he did not already know the name of the blonde baka sitting idly on the left side of Sasuke, practically bouncing up and down with excitement. "Me?! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! And... uh... what else do we have to say..?" Kakashi sighed inwardly, before replying instinctively, "The things you like, the things you hate, your dreams for the future. Stuff like that."_

_Sakura looked slightly confused, which was odd, seeing as out of the group, she was apparently the most intelligent, even more so than the brooding Uchiha. "Why don't you give us an example; show us how it's done." Again, another sigh left Kakashi's lips, before he replied hastily, "Me? My name is Kakashi Hatake. Hmmm, I like a lot of things, and I also hate many things. My dreams for the future... I have many dreams." Kakashi indulged in the three's reaction, loving how they squirmed to know more like a fish out of water. 'Sorry, but I do not intend to share anything with any of you, seeing as you won't make it as ninja.' He thought sadly, the loneliness and isolation from people seeping through the seams, tearing him apart slowly, bit by bit. "Alright! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like the noodles at Ichiraku Ramen; Teuchi makes 'em really well! I also like Instant Ramen in a cup, but I hate the three minutes you have to wait till it's cooked, and—" He just seemed to drone on and on about ramen, and just when Kakashi thought he would finally catch up on some much needed sleep, Naruto dropped a bombshell. "—And my dream is to become the greatest Hokage! Then all of the villagers will have to acknowledge me and treat me with respect!" Sasuke peeked out from under his shuttered eyes, apparently interested in what the hyperactive knucklehead had just said. 'Was it just me, or was that a flash of amusement I saw flicker across his face...?' Kakashi thought idly, as he pointed at the young pink haired kunoichi to speak. "I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like is... well, the boy I like is...." Sakura squinted her eyes to the side, glancing shyly at Sasuke, who completely ignored her existence entirely, a look of pure disdain plastered to his beautiful features. 'He's the spitting image of his mother, that I can be sure of... rest in peace, Mikoto-san." Kakashi thought cautiously, as he pretended to care about whatever nonsense Sakura was spouting. "My dream for the future is... kyaah! **"_

"_And what do you hate?" Kakashi urged, sick to death of hearing her gush about her very conspicuous crush on a certain Uchiha who was also well aware of that fact._

"_NARUTO!" Sakura said simply, causing Naruto to sob and mutter quietly to himself, his crush on Sakura also quite noticeable. 'All girls seem to think about are boys; not the usual shinobi training. What a pain this shall be...'_

"_Now, __**your**__ turn." Kakashi particularly emphasised on 'your', signalling the acknowledgment that Sasuke was indeed the most level-headed person in the group, and letting him know specifically that he __**had**__ to speak, whether he wanted to or not. 'This will be interesting...'_

"_My name is Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke stated flatly, hands still clasped under his chin, a distant look in his eyes as he spoke. "I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything either." This earned a small whimper from Sakura, but the Uchiha promptly ignored it and continued, eager to get this over with. "What I have is not a dream; that is just a pointless word. What I have is an ambition, as I __**will**__ make it into a reality; I am going to restore my clan... by destroying a __**certain**__**someone**__." Everything went still, a look of adoration plastered on Sakura's face, whilst there was one of utter discomfort on Naruto's; a first. 'Hmph. As to be expected I suppose.... redefine typical, much?' Kakashi thought dryly as he spoke once again._

"_Okay, now on to explaining tomorrow's exercise—"_

"_What do you mean '__**tomorrow's'**__?! You mean we aren't doing anything else today?!" Naruto hollered angrily, a very pissed off look on his face indicating he may actually hit something. _

"_Shut it, Naruto." Kakashi said calmly, but with an edge so malicious that it managed to shut the teinousha up. "__**Tomorrow's**__ exercise will be held at six a.m. __**sharp**__, and there is really __**no**__**point**__ in coming either way; you'll __**never**__ pass."_

"_What do you mean 'we'll never pass'? Is there any chance at completing it successfully?" Sakura asked innocently, moreover confused as hell. He didn't blame her though; he did just give the shadiest explanation in history. "I'll elaborate; there is a chance you can pass, but the odds are stacked against you."_

"_Whaddya mean 'the odds are stacked against us'?!" Naruto screeched, only managing to earn him a disapproving glare from Sakura. _

"_Yeah sensei; what kind of percentage fail the test?" Kakashi let his look darken to a sinister glare as he spoke the next words like he was telling an amusing joke. _

"_The percentage that fails is over __**sixty-six percent**__; only the lucky remaining forty-four percent can pass. Let's face it; you're done for!" Kakashi spoke it in an amused, but hushed whisper, causing Naruto to fall backwards onto the ground, Sakura's jaw to drop, and Sasuke's glare to darken. 'I wonder if they'll be the first squad of mine to actually figure it out....' Kakashi mused, as he dismissed himself, and for the first time in several years, he did not head straight to the training field._

"_You FAIL!" Kakashi hollered angrily, the hope he had had for the group previously was now completely squashed. _

"_WHAT?!" Naruto screeched in shock, Sakura's gasp and Sasuke's glare intensifying as they stared at Kakashi in utter disbelief. "WHY?!" Naruto whined, wanting to know what he had done wrong._

"_You just don't __**get it**__! __**None**__ of you ever do!"_

"_What do you mean, sensei?" Sakura asked, still recovering from the shock of Kakashi's announcement. "Why didn't we pass? I know we didn't get the bells,_

_but—"_

"_The bells had nothing to do with it! There was something __**else**__ I was looking for, something __**more**__ than just succeeding in the exercise, and none of you even __**considered**__ it! In fact, you overlooked it __**entirely**__!"_

"_And what would that be?!" Naruto challenged, veins protruding from his neck, a purpley-blue colour._

"_Why do you even think we shinobi __**bother**__ to organise squads into that of three to four?!" Kakashi exclaimed in exasperation, mostly to himself, seeing as no one else was seemingly picking up on the hint._

"_I was wondering about that myself..." Sakura muttered in a clearly audible voice, enough so that it could cause an eruption of anger that Kakashi had not felt in an extremely long time._

"_You have to __**think**__ about it?! Acck, it's so __**obvious**__; TEAM WORK." The sudden realisation hit the trio hard, as they finally understood what their sensei had been trying to tell them; no, he shouldn't have needed to tell them- it was one of the most basic rules in the shinobi world. Their heads hung low, Kakashi let out another exhausted sigh, before trudging lazily towards the memorial stone behind the three stumps of wood, one of which Naruto was bound to. "This stone isn't just any; it is very __**special**__. Only the most honourable shinobi have their names engraved on it."_

"_Ooh, ooh! I've made up my mind; I wanna be a shinobi just like them! I don't wanna waste my life doing nothing, when I can do something that I can be remembered for in history!" Kakashi smiled sadly, his back to the trio, as he stared solemnly at the names engraved on the stone. "They are... __**unique**__ kinds of heroes."_

"_Ooh, ooh, like what?!" Naruto giggled in proclaimed excitement, before Kakashi went in for the kill, bursting Naruto's bubble and bringing him back down to earth once more. "The dead kind." Sasuke's eyes narrowed, hardened with an unspeakable rage, whilst Naruto's lost it's bright, cerulean colour and was replaced by a duller version of it, the sadness he felt mirrored that of both Kakashi and Sakura. "The names' of my closest friends are engraved on this stone..." Kakashi stated quietly, his emotions in turmoil. 'Why am I telling them this...?'_

_Sakura gasped, and Naruto's eyes widened, before closing into half open, dull blue slits that now had an intense interest with the ground at their feet. Kakashi sighed dully, and before he even had any control over his impulse, he spoke, loud and clear. "Okay, I'm going to offer you a second chance. You have until two to get the bells. You may eat to replenish your strength; but Naruto doesn't get any. His punishment for trying to get in an early snack." Naruto let his head loll so that it was looking straight at the ground. "Now eat up; you have a long afternoon ahead of you." And with that, Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of white smoke. _

"_You pass!" Kakashi exclaimed, taking in the looks of utter shock as he did so. Kakashi's mind wandered back to the scene that unfolded moments before...._

"_Sasuke! We can't give him food; you heard what Kakashi-sensei said!" Sakura pleaded, not wanting them to fail because of Naruto's earlier stupidity. _

"_Yeah, but you also heard that we need to work as a team, and Naruto is weak; and being weak means he is ineffective, which then purges our goal." Sakura let her eyes widen as she stared at the food that Sasuke had held out to Naruto, before looking greedily at her own. Shit, she hadn't eaten since lunch __**yesterday**__! Swallowing hard, she held out her lunch towards Naruto, looking at the ground as she did so. "Here!" Was all she said, the annoyance replaced quickly by embarrassment as Naruto grinned sheepishly at her. "Thanks Sakura-chan! Sasuke..." He muttered reluctantly, but was glad he got it out of his system. "Don't thank me; just hurry up and take it before Kakashi-sensei comes back!"_

"_Uh... I'd love to, but I can't... you see, my hands are tied up..." Sakura paled at the silent implication, which was voiced out loud by SASUKE of all people. "Sakura, hurry up! There's no time; he could get back at any moment. You're gonna have to feed him."_

"_WHAT?!" Was all Sakura could manage to choke out. '__**Me**__, feed __**Naruto**__?! __**No way in**__**hell**__! Yeah, sure, __**Sasuke**__ was one thing, but __**Naruto**__?! Haha, highly unlikely.' "Please, Sakura-chan?" Naruto pleaded, the puppy dog look on his face was enough to make even Sakura feel a little guilty about not doing this sooner. "Urgh, __**fine**__! But you owe me for this Naruto!"_

"_Yep!" Naruto replied elatedly as he took the first bite of rice from the end of Sakura's chop sticks. __**Sakura's**__! As he went in for the second mouthful, a dark thunder cloud formed in the sky, lightning rumbling and crackling as they stared, and out of no where, an extremely angry, almost demonic looking Kakashi appeared, literally hollering 'bloody murder'! _

"_YOU!" He glowered viciously as he glared at each of his students, waves of anger radiating off of his body as he spoke. "Arrrrgh!" Naruto screamed, and a more feminine version of that was also audible, but no sound left the Uchiha's lips, except for a look of evident shock and bewildered surprise. _

"_What have you got to say for yourself in your defence?!" Kakashi all but hollered. What surprised him doubly was the fact that it was Sasuke who spoke up, and what he said was inspirational in itself. "You said we had to work as a team, and Naruto is a valuable asset; we needed him at full strength in order to accomplish the mission, so we gave him our food. This was all in the name of team work; nothing more, nothing less." Satisfied with his explanation, he let Naruto and Sakura take over, a "Yeah, Sasuke-kun is right!" and a "Y-yeah! That's right!" were said in defence of what Sasuke had just said. Kakashi smiled to himself, before speaking in that terrifyingly scary voice, the wind gusts tossing their hair to and fro, whipping their clothes in every other direction against their skin. "YOU.....!"_

"_W-what'd you just say?!" Naruto gasped, not knowing whether or not he should be celebrating or crying._

"_I said 'You PASS.'" Kakashi repeated giddily, finally happy that he had some new company. Who knows; maybe this was the company in which the 3__rd__ had spoken of. "Are you for __**real**__?!" Naruto exclaimed shrilly, excitement lacing his features as he took in the good news. "But why?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide from fright, the after effects of his appearance and drastic change in demeanour still wearing off. _

"_Simple; 'A true shinobi seeks the hidden meanings within hidden meanings; in a ninja's world, those who violate the rules and fail to follow orders are lower than garbage... however... those who do not care for and support their fellows... are even lower than that!' You listened and obeyed my orders like you had no will of your own, and no true shinobi would act so blindly; but then you __**finally**__ saw what I was trying to tell you all along; you have to work together to move from place to place in life, that is what it means to be a shinobi. Yes, to be faithful to the shinobi rules of conduct, but when in a situation where it can cost you either your life or that of a teammates', or the success rate of a mission, there will be a time where you have to choose. And that all depends on what is more important to you. If it were me, it would be to save my teammates, no questions asked." Naruto felt the tears of inspiration well behind his eyes, and a vague 'He's... kind of cool...' flitted across his thoughts, bringing a smile to Kakashi's lips. 'Good to know...!'_

"_Now let's go home!" And with that, they left, leaving Naruto tied to the stump._

'_Heh. I'll get Iruka to come by and let him loose later...' Kakashi thought cheekily, as he planned out the events for the following day. The formation of Team Kakashi was now official, and no longer did Kakashi feel like he was alone._

"_Sasuke! Put that thing away! I swear to you, I will protect you with my life!" With a small smile, and a crinkle of his eyes, he stormed off to meet Zabuza Momochi head on, unconcerned for his own well being._

"_You have __**no**__**idea**__ what I've been through!" Sasuke all but screamed psychotically at Kakashi, anger pulsating violently, the curse mark aching horribly as he continued. "I know; I'll kill all of your loved ones- friends, family, relatives! Then maybe you'll have some measure as to what I have suffered!" _

"_I'm afraid that is an impossibility now; you're a little too late. You see.... all of the people I care about are already dead." Sasuke's eyes widened, before dark black bags lined the bottom of his eyes, leading Kakashi to assume he had not been sleeping of late because of both the nightmares Itachi had reinvoked within Sasuke, and also the fact that the curse mark was hurting more and more with each and every passing day, even with the seal intact. "But I find that I am not lonely anymore; I now have new friends and loved ones to care about and nurture. We are one and the same Sasuke; there was a point where I too took the road you're heading on, and believe me, it only brings more turmoil and misery in the end. You have found precious friends that you can safely rely on and trust now too, right?" Images of Naruto and Sakura flickered across Sasuke and Kakashi's mind, just as Kakashi let him loose. "Think carefully before you act; you have a family here that although aren't those of your birth, are still family never the less, and worry about you more than anyone or anything else on this planet. Bear that in mind when you make your decision Sasuke." And with that, Kakashi left, leaving Sasuke to ponder on his muddled thoughts._

'_I'm too late...' Kakashi thought as he stared at the mangled body of a barely recognisable and barely even alive Naruto. 'I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time; but knowing you, you probably gave your all, right... Naruto?' Kakashi scooped Naruto into his arms, propping the unconscious boy gently on his back before taking off, leaving the 'Final Valley' to it's never-ending raging battle with itself._

_Kakashi just stared. He could not believe what he was seeing. Sakura was curled up in __**his**__ bed of all places, bawling her eyes out. Though he didn't blame her for it; in fact if it weren't for his better judgment and sense of pride, he'd be in the same position she was in now, simply crying, unsheathing the pain through tears. Sighing, Kakashi removed his jonin vest, slipped off his sandals, and removed his gloves, headband and lastly his mask, before silently climbing on to the bed too, so he was lying behind Sakura against the wall. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her, his right arm around her waist, pulling her closer to his body, the left sliding under her head, wiping away the tears that would only later be replaced by an onslaught of them. "It'll be alright.... it'll be alright..." Kakashi murmured quietly over and over again, like if he said them for a while, maybe the pain would lessen, possibly vanish. It was supposed to be soothing, but Kakashi knew words wouldn't do a thing to ease the pain; particularly since they weren't really true either. Sakura sniffled, before rolling around to face her sensei. One look at his face and the tears overspilt, there being too many of them to hold back, restrain. Scrunching up her face in pure agony, Kakashi then proceeded to pull her even tighter to him, his grip on her never faltering, even as he drifted off to slumber-land. 'No... it was never easy losing __**one**__ teammate... but losing __**both**__...' Kakashi thought sadly, the reminder of the permanent absence of his own tearing at his heartstrings. 'Though this time __**they**__ could have been saved... mine could not...' Kakashi's last thought before he drifted off completely was; 'The cliché 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' is fucking bullshit; it only causes more heartache for the one left behind.'_

"_Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi spun around just in time to catch the pink haired kunoichi ( whom had proceeded in throwing herself at him) in his arms, and he found that he was stuck in a semi-permanent stranglehold; Sakura's legs were wrapped tightly around his waist, resting gently on his hipbones, and her arms were locked around his neck like a padlock on a diary, face buried in the crook of his neck. "Whoa! Be careful with me, Sakura; I'm old, so I am very fragile!" Sakura giggled girlishly, a faint pink blush tinting her cheeks slightly as she replied demurely, _

"_You are __**not**__ old! You're just as gorgeous as the day Kami-sama made you! If I were only fourteen years older...." She trailed off suggestively, leaving Kakashi dumbfounded and rather embarrassed. 'Sakura thinks I'm attractive...?'_

_Smiling to himself, he replied in the sexiest voice he could throw without actually choking on it and bursting out laughing, "And if only I were fourteen years younger... I could have you all to myself, and no one would have the power or decency to take you away from me."_

"_What __**decency**__ are we speaking of, __**Kaka-sensei**__? I thought you were all for 'downright dirty', or am I completely mistaken?" Sakura whispered seductively into his ear, and that alone was enough to make him blush behind his mask, the feeling of the air surrounding them suddenly a little too warm for an autumn day in October._

"_Heh. I guess you are right about that; say, since you're not protesting, and since you think me rather sexy," Sakura blushed, realising that he had read her thoughts, "we should go out on a short date; make a scene, start a riot. What do you say...?" Kakashi finished cheekily, the thought of all of those perverted paedophiles checking her out and knowing they couldn't touch her when with him almost made him childishly giddy, like a certain blonde baka who hadn't been back to the village since __**that day**__ a year and a bit earlier. He flinched slightly, just as Sakura replied in an equally cheeky tone, "Of course, Kaka-sensei... but.... you have to take your mask off later, okay?" He smiled, nodding at their arrangement, before heading off to the closest bar they could find._

"_Aaaaaiiie! Kaka-sensei?! What are you doing here?!" Kakashi stood there, glued to the spot as he took in the sight before him. Sakura, standing completely naked in the middle of her room, clothes discarded and strewn messily on the floor at her feet; it seemed he had walked in on her at the wrong time. "Ah... whoops, my mistake. I was supposed to deliver a message from Tsunade-sama, but from the looks of things, you seem a little __**busy**__. I'll come back later." Kakashi dove out of the window just in time to avoid the study desk Sakura had thrown at him._

"_I am __**so**__ sorry, Kakashi-sensei! I-I'll leave!" Sakura spun on her heel, only to slip on the wet tiles of Kakashi's bathroom. She fell forward, only to be caught by the man in question, wearing nothing but a white towel, which clung to his hipbones, everything above that area completely exposed for Sakura's viewing. Her face flushed a crimson red as she ogled the poor man's body, this being the nicest one she had ever laid eyes upon (being a medic in a hospital had some pretty neat advantages). Of course, since Kakashi had just been in the shower, it was obvious that he wasn't wearing his mask, and just seeing how ruggedly handsome he was was enough to make her melt into a puddle of goop on the water-slicked tiles. His features were very male, masculine, and his complexion still a pale white, suiting him completely, and watching his six-pack ripple as he breathed in deep, steady breaths was doing things for Sakura that she really didn't need. And then those __**abs**__! She wanted so badly to touch them, run her tongue over them, and—'OH CRAP! Do __**not**__ look at Kakashi-sensei like he is food! Bad Sakura! Bad, bad, bad, __**bad**__!' _

"_Sakura, are you alright? You look a little red. Do you have a fever?" Kakashi asked in concern, draping a cool hand over her forehead. Funny; even though he had just taken a steaming hot shower (evident seeing as the mirror had fogged up and there was steam everywhere), his hands still managed to remain cool. Sakura's breathing hitched, and again she tried to move, only this time as she shoved Kakashi backwards, away from her traitorous body, __**she**__ slipped backwards, falling head first towards the hard tiles below. 'CRAP!' Was her last thought, as she collided with... a firmly muscled body...? "Aaaah! Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura rolled around so that she was now sitting on top of her almost completely naked sensei, probing for any signs of fractured bones or a concussion. "I'm fine Sakura..." Kakashi muttered through clenched teeth, leading Sakura to assume that he had an injury to the back of his head. "No you are not! Now stay still and let me heal your injury—aaaggh!" she screamed, as she found herself suddenly beneath her sensei, lying on the cool, wet tiles. "Uh.... Kakashi-sen—sei?" She only just managed to get the 'sei' part out as Kakashi's warm, soft, extremely __**inviting**__ lips met hers, a light pressure at first, but then became slightly more intense. Sakura's eyes bulged, and now she was completely, entirely convinced that he had hit his head harder than either of them could have imagined. Just as quickly as the kiss had started, Kakashi broke away, shocked at what he had just done to one of his students. 'Why the hell did I...?!' _

"_Ka...ka....shi...sen...sei...?" Kakashi turned back to see a blushing Sakura, confusion notable in the crease of her brow. "I'm... sorry... Sakura...." Kakashi choked out, before peeling their bodies apart, his hormones betraying him more than he would have ever guessed or assumed they would. And with that he left, leaving Sakura lying on his bathroom floor._

"_-kura.... SAKURA!" Sakura's head snapped up to meet the eyes of Ino, whom was looking concerned, at least from Kakashi's purview; he was cloaking himself in the trees nearby, spying on Sakura for Kami-sama knows why. He still felt guilty about kissing her; he had NO idea why he had- he just __**did**__. Male instinct in a situation such as that of the night before maybe? Well whatever it was, it was slowly gnawing away at Kakashi, and he wanted to know if Sakura was alright after that little mishap. _

"_Are you okay? You seem a little out of it... did something happen last night at Kakashi-sensei's house?" _

'_Hmm, how did Miss Yamanaka know about that...?' Kakashi thought idly as he eavesdropped from the distance. He was thankful for his advanced hearing; as good as that of a ninja hound. _

"_Ah... well...." Sakura muttered, blushing bright red at the memory of the recent transpired events. Again, that guilty ache gnawed at Kakashi's heart. _

"_Kakashi-sensei... he..."_

"_He what Sakura...?" _

"_He.... __**kissed**__ me...."Sakura choked out in a barely audible whisper, going an even deeper shade than she already was, if humanly possible. The only person Kakashi had seen who could blush that deep/bright a red was Hinata, but with good reason he supposed (though he already knew __**why**__). "WHAT?! Are you SERIOUS?! __**Kakashi-sensei**__?! You're __**kidding**__ right?! Why would he—?"_

"_I honestly don't know... he's an enigma in himself..." Sakura whispered in hushed confusion, hoping that Ino would get the hint to turn the volume down (she was as loud- possibly louder- than __**Naruto**__!). She didn't._

"_No fucking way! You were __**kissed**__ by __**Kakashi-sensei**__?! Your __**first**__?! WOW! I am __**so**__ jealous of you right now!" Ino gushed, the people walking down the street and the customers in the shop turning to look at her, who now had a hand clamped none to gently over her big mouth. 'Her first...?' Kakashi thought in disquieting shock, eyes widening at the thought of what would have occurred afterwards had he not the correct sense to get off of her and leave. 'Kami, what have I done?'_

"_Shut __**up**__ Ino-pig! You can be so __**loud**__ when you want to be!" Sakura exclaimed, and just as their argument was about to become heated, Ino's mother called her, telling her that she was needed urgently in the shop. "Well, I have to go. Listen, talk to him; maybe you can both clear the air a little and settle things down- before you know it things can return back to abnormal! Love ya!" And with a soft kiss on the cheek, Ino scurried off to get back to work. Sakura smiled fondly, the first one she had offered up since the day __**they**__ left, before turning and heading in the direction of the bridge, the one Team 7 originated from. Kakashi decided to pursue her, seeing as he had to apologise for what he had done. Sakura reminded him so much of Rin.... wait... __**Rin**__? Is __**that**__ why he acted on impulse...? Because of those feelings he used to hold for his long dead companion? He wouldn't admit it then, not to anyone, but he __**did**__ truly care for her, more than anyone knew. And that point was proven even more so when Obito declared his feelings for her; for the first time in his life, he actually had a reason to be jealous and hate Obito. But when he sacrificed his life to save Kakashi's... he realised that he really didn't deserve to feel that way; Obito gave up his life, his chance at telling Rin how he felt, to save __**him**__. Because they were best friends. Because he had found something that he wanted to protect more than anything else. 'So that's why...' Kakashi muttered internally, as he sprinted after Sakura, who was __**actually**__ managing to evade him, even though she was unaware of his presence. _

"_SAKURA!" Kakashi called out, and the young woman spun around clumsily, blushing bright red as she saw who it was who had called for her. "Ah! Ka-Kakashi-sensei! What are you—?"_

"_It meant nothing." Sakura looked at Kakashi like he was speaking in a foreign language, apparently not following what he was saying. "That kiss; it meant __**nothing**__. It only happened because... you.... you remind me of the woman I used to harbor feelings for... and now that she's no longer... that's why. I'm sorry. I am __**so**__ sorry." Kakashi cursed quietly to himself, looking at the ground, the guilt now consuming him. He had just told this girl ,one of his beloved students, that her first kiss meant __**nothing**__ to him. It __**did**__ though! He felt __**guilty**__ for taking it from her in the first place! Had he known, he __**never**__ would have closed the distance between them, __**never**__ flattened her beneath him. He would have thought about his actions before he acted on them, __**not the other way around**__; when you do it that way, it only later leaves and causes regrets._

"_So that's why..." Sakura whispered quietly, smiling sadly to herself, her emerald green orbs sullen in colour. Kakashi felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest by an enemy ninja. 'Shit! Now I've gone and done it...'_

"_Sakura—"_

"_Because of the feelings for your former teammate... the feelings you never got to express openly and freely... Because I remind you of __**her**__.... I understand now! You never had that chance to say anything, express your feelings, so you naturally assumed I was her in your bathroom; and you acted purely on that feeling!" Kakashi revelled in Sakura's sudden epiphany, which soon became his own. _

'_That has to be why!'_

"_Yes..." Was all Kakashi uttered, but that was enough to make Sakura smile brightly, tears spilling over against her will, as she attempted futilely to swat the nasty sprites away. "I understand now! It isn't fair!" _

'_Oh Kami-sama, she's gonna __**hate**__ me for kissing her, she's gonna say it to my face; "It's not fair! Why did you have to steal __**my**__**first**__**kiss**__?! It isn't fair! It just isn't fair!"'_

_Kakashi felt the panic rising, but it immediately vaporised the minute she spoke her next words. "Why couldn't she have lived long enough for you to say how you felt about her?! Why did she have to be taken away from you too?! It isn't fair, it just isn't fair!" Sakura sobbed through her tears, the 'hics' and 'sniffs' clearly distinguishable to anyone within hearing range. Kakashi was shocked to the core. He could not believe, after all he had said and done to her, that she was able to turn a blind eye to it, overlook his mistakes, and instead cry for the pain he had suffered. Slowly, he walked towards her, forgetting all of those feelings of guilt, anguish and slight anger, as he approached, stopping just inches from where she stood, bawling her eyes out before him. Without giving it a second thought (he was doing this a lot lately; not thinking before he acted), he pulled her into his arms and held her there, for seconds, minutes, hours, days, he did not know, but all that mattered to him was the fact that he was holding onto the only person who could truly understood him, more so than he himself, the only person who could make him feel like this; like his heart was thawing out from a long winter chill. For the first time in his life, Kakashi felt as if he was actually worth something; felt as if he had the right to be alive. And it was all possible because of the petite, beautiful pink haired kunoichi known as Sakura Haruno; she truly was a spring cherry blossom, even if he was the only one who thought so._

Kakashi snapped out of his trance the minute a gentle hand lightly tapped his shoulder, kind and cautious all at once. He did not even need to turn around to know who it was; Hinata. It had been so shocking when she had come out of no where, proclaiming in pure terror that Sakura was currently in a fight with Sasuke, and was worried that she would not be able to defeat him alone. So they hurried to the clearing where she had last been, only to find that she was no longer there, but they knew that she had been there; aside from Hinata's say-so, they could tell that the monster canyons that were seemingly natural in the barren outskirts were actually caused by Sakura's fist. And from the looks of it, she had done it without thinking; like something had provoked her sudden impulse. Hinata explained that Sakura had done it to protect them from the impending attack from Sasuke's group Taka, seeing as they were completely defenceless whilst caught up in Sasuke's sharingan induced genjutsu. Kakashi began to become seriously worried when Hinata had said just how powerful Sasuke had become over the past few years, since their last encounter, and was also panicking over Sakura's feelings for the man in question. They could cloud her judgement and lead her to do something beyond both redemption and stupid. Kakashi cursed his luck; why was it that he had to have the three most idiotic students on the face of the planet, one of which betrayed the village, the other who happened to be in love with the traitor, and the last almost killing the second in cold blood? Kami, did he hate his life sometimes.

Sasuke was still currently chasing Sakura through the treetops, even after a little over an hour. Kami-sama was this woman persistent! Not only does she proclaim that she is going to 'kick his Uchiha ass', but she then proceeds in running away from both him and his advances; _no_ woman on the face of the planet was stupid enough to refuse an Uchiha, particularly when it came to the sex department. There he was unstoppable; taking women of all ages (that were not older than thirty; he drew the line at how old the whores he slept with got) to a hotel room to show them a 'good time.' None of them had ever complained, yet he was still baffled as to why Sakura was so insistent in him keeping his distance. Yeah sure, she was supposedly engaged (which he knew right off the bat was a lie; it was fabricated in the hopes that he would back off and not touch her- little did she know that that alone was hot enough to make him do unspeakable things to her that could never be printed in the Holy Bible as one of the commandments you mustn't break; too dirty for something as supposedly _holy_ as the Bible), and yes, she was also a virgin (_that_ he could believe), but that had never stood in the way before. Okay, so maybe he was usually indifferent to women, which was the case most of the time, even whilst he screwed them, but when it came to _her_.... it slightly _irked_ him that she was brushing him off, giving him the cold shoulder. But then again he didn't blame her; half the time he wished he was the same as he was as a child- at least then the constant thought of sexual intercourse did not plague his mind twenty-four seven. Thinking maybe that was the solution to all of his problems he quietly swore to himself that sex was no longer important, nor was it a necessity (which it really wasn't; he could just as easily have fought and killed people to burn out his frustration), and strangely enough, the minute he thought it, all of his pent up frustration disappeared, leaving only cold, calculating malice in it's wake. Sasuke Uchiha had now returned, and whether or not that was a good thing was unknown, even to Sasuke himself.

Naruto, and the rest of Team Taka, followed the unusually quiet Suigetsu, whom was at this moment grunting from the effort of swinging his executioners' blade back and forth to cut down the vines and stick-out branches of trees, the quiet rustle of the leaves in the trees higher up and the chirping of birds mimicking Sasuke's chidori the only things audible through the continuing silence.

Sakura was running out of strength, not to mention options and ideas; Sasuke was already only ten feet at the most behind her, and that alone spoke on her exhaustion's behalf. About to cave in, Sakura could feel the rustling of another person's clothing against her skin, and as the world around her went hazy and black, the last thing she saw was a completely stoic Uchiha, whose attitude seemed to have drastically changed over the past hour and a half. _What happened to him since then? What brought on this __**change**__... in attitude...? _She thought wearily, her mind suddenly being consumed by a black abyss. All there was after that was darkness, consuming the pink haired kunoichi whole, wrapping her in a blanket of temporary ephemeral bliss. One name echoed soundly in her head, reverberating off of her very being. _Sasuke....kun..._

_Please let me be on time...._ Kakashi thought as he darted through the treetops, sensing the chakra of a very familiar kunoichi dead ahead, with another extremely powerful one whose signature was familiar, but deadly all at once. _You wouldn't harm her, would you... __**Sasuke**__...?_

"Move faster, you baka!" A very feminine voice yelled, obviously not happy at the pace in which one of her younger brothers' was travelling at.

"Why the hell should I?! We'll get there soon enough, so keep your pants on!" The male responded moodily, apparently not happy at being reprimanded by a woman, whether that woman _was_ his older sibling or not. The youngest of the group, but the one who held the most authority, spoke up, seeing as he was further ahead than the rest of his siblings. "Kankuro... hurry it up. We haven't the time for this; the Hokage said it was urgent and imperative that we got to Konoha as quickly as possible. If you keep going at that pace, we will not arrive until tomorrow noon at best; we are aiming for dusk today, so move it." Kankuro paled considerably, still slightly unused to the fact that his baby brother had the power to order him to do anything, and could severely punish him without hesitation if he didn't comply. "Sorry, Gaara." He muttered feebly, hoping that that would be enough to keep Gaara in a mellow mood, aside from also speeding up so that he matched that of his brother.

"That's 'Kazekage-sama' to you, Kankuro! Remember it!" Temari exclaimed in profound annoyance as she smiled at the youngest of the trio. Gaara smiled back, albeit rather awkwardly, before turning to face the front. "It is alright for my family and close friends to simply call me 'Gaara.' I would honestly prefer it that way." And with that, they moved on, Kankuro smirking in triumph at Temari, who simply 'Hmphed!" and looked away. Typical sibling rivalry.

Sasuke carried the limp body of Sakura in his arms, his body completely numb. She was lighter than he had initially assumed, and seemed a lot frailer, fragile, than she let on, but that wasn't what was currently bothering the Uchiha. What was bothering him was why he was carrying her in the first place; all he saw was her slowing down slightly one minute, and the next she was swaying violently, losing her grip on the branch beneath her feet. Sasuke had then used his insane speed to catch her, just as she was about to leave the branch completely. Why had he done it? He could have let her fall to her death; would've saved him the trouble of a) having to do it himself, and b) got one extra nuisance out of his hair. It was a win-win situation for him, yet he still saved her either way. Why did he do it? Why did he bother to save the one thing that annoyed him the most in the world (well, she wasn't _half_ as bad as Karin was)? That was the question that plagued him, and he would never be able to comprehend the answer. Not just yet.

"Naruto, you baka! Slow the _fuck_ down!" Suigetsu hollered, losing his temper completely. They were pushing themselves far over their limits, as Naruto was now using his sage power to dart through the treetops, obviously oblivious to the fact that his teammates were lagging behind and barely keeping up with him as it was. "I can't! This chakra; not just Sasuke's and Sakura's! It has to be...!" He could barely contain his excitement as he darted lithely through the trees, the breeze rustling his hair, tossing it in his face. He, along with Sasuke would have to get their hair cut soon; Naruto's was coming down around his chin, whereas Sasuke's was draped past his shoulders, in between his shoulder blades, bangs touching the middle of his breastbone. It was to be expected though; they hadn't given a second thought to cutting it in over two years, and to say it was long overdue would be a complete understatement. He smiled fondly at the thought of Sakura-chan cutting not just his hair, but Sasuke's as well, whilst he brushed his extremely long bangs out of his eyes. Then again, why would she? A sad dawning shook Naruto's body, as he remembered the hours previous. Sakura had tried to kill not only him, but Sasuke as well (in her lamest attempt ever). Why would she bother cutting their hair for them? She could take it as an opportunity to slit their throats, seeing as they would have just entrusted their lives to her, thinking that that fondness she felt for them would still remain intact. That was just presumptuous of Naruto, a childish wish, and Kami, did it hurt to realise that the girl you had once been in love with hated your guts. But he didn't blame her; after all, not only did he leave her alone back at their village, but he hurt her more than anyone could have imagined; he hurt her by breaking his promise, his promise of a lifetime to bring Sasuke home. Instead, he selfishly left her to be with Sasuke as a team and as best friends again. He understood why she had punched/shoved him with such force; because he disgusted her, because he left her behind once again, to watch their receding backs disappear to become even less than mere shadows. She hated him for leaving her behind.

Sakura stirred, to find that she was moving at dangerous speeds through the treetops in the arms of... _**Sasuke-kun**__?! Why is he...?_

"So you're finally awake...?" His voice was dangerously low, baritone, much deeper than it had been when they had grown up as children, and it fascinated Sakura, seeing as she was not the one who bore witness to his physical changes. After realising he had asked her a question, and was now glaring at her like he used to when he thought he was being either ignored or the person in question was annoying him (which in this case seemed to be both), she nodded sheepishly, earning her an even colder look than the first. _What __**happened**__ to him? He seems so much more... like the __**old**__ Sasuke-kun.... What did I do that afflicted __**this**__ personality change...?_

"Hmph. Whatever. You're pretty heavy, by the way. You owe me big time for this."

Sasuke muttered, slightly incensed, or irritated, Sakura couldn't really tell, what with his unpredictable change of persona. The rain battered down mercilessly on the two figures, still as heavy as it had been several hours earlier, and Sakura flushed slightly, more or less insulted that the man she was unsure she still loved had said that she was heavy, but all the while, embarrassed that she could possibly be heavier than she thought, and he had to carry the extra load. "Nobody asked you to carry me." She retorted simply, her pride taking over, and again, that earned another look of pure disdain as he once again replied none to kindly, "Yeah? Well tell that to the person who would've picked up your splattered remains off of the ground down there." Sakura's eyes widened in obvious shock, suddenly remembering that she had felt dangerously woozy just before the blackness overtook her. "Y-you caught me...?

W-why?"

"Wasn't that already _plainly_ obvious; you would have been _dead_ if I hadn't have acted otherwise. I thought you were smarter than that Sakura." The way he said her name reminded her of the days when they had just formed Team 7, and when they were still naïve genin, before he started to care about her well being, even if only a little. The plain dislike was there; though the malice that was detectable there definitely wasn't a trivial aspect of the old Sasuke's way of speech. Till now. The rain drops slipped idly down Sasuke's cheek, caressing it gently, before plopping soundlessly onto Sakura's cheek, proceeding to then sliding into her eye and coming off as if she were crying. And maybe she was, but she didn't notice. She was too busy admiring Sasuke, the one before her now, holding her tightly to his body as he sprinted through the trees' crowns. He had definitely grown to be beyond beautiful; he resembled that of a fallen angel, whom had only wanted to return to the heavens, but was denied of that, and thus became consumed in its' own power, turning into a demon in disguise. _Yes, he really __**is**__ the devil in disguise..._ Sakura thought in awe as she _**really**_ looked at him. His hair was _**a lot**_ longer, no question about it; his bangs alone shifted and smacked her in the face, which was propped against his left breastbone, right above his steadily beating heart, bringing a slightly amused smirk to Sasuke's face as he looked at her with his peripheral vision. The back of his naturally spiked up blue-black hair came down in between his very well sculpted shoulder blades, looking as if it were a real nuisance to manage; it was long enough to blow behind the Uchiha, smacking him in the back whenever he either slowed down slightly, or when he put his full weight down on his legs as he pushed off of another low branch. His facial features had changed drastically too; no longer did he have any remnant baby fat clinging to his cheeks, his cheekbones clearly defined even as the rain poured off of them. His complexion was still as pale and soft as it had been when she had last seen him two years earlier, like if she made contact with it, it would shatter under her touch, like porcelain being dropped on a marble floor. The thing that stood out the most, was most prominent, were his eyes; they alone conveyed the emotional distance he had always managed to keep between anyone he got close to, the cold indifference he felt for everything around him that was warm enough to love or hate. Or kill. They looked straight ahead, giving no indication that he noticed her looking, but she wasn't idiotic enough to fall for that. No, she knew him better than that; she knew that he knew that she was looking; he was just not in the mood to tell her off, or didn't really care either way. His nose was still the same, beautiful (if you can call a nose beautiful) in its' magnificence; had it been on any other, it would have immediately been destroyed. And those lips... still as soft and inviting as they always had been; well, at least from a distance. But now that Sakura was close enough to _actually_ look at them... well, let's just say that if Sasuke has lips like the one's he has, then he had to be one majorly good kisser. At this, Sasuke turned his head slightly, a full blown Uchiha smirk on his face, and that's when Sakura finally realised.

_He read my mind?!_

_Heh. That's right, and it's nice to know that you are questioning my kissing prowess. But that would normally entail a want for __**more**__ knowledge; would you, pray tell, happen to be __**interested**__ in getting some __**firsthand**__**experience**__ on __**that**__**matter**__?_ Sakura went a bright red, which was noticeable even in the surrounding darkness (it was quite late now), and averted his eyes, blocking out her Inner self's "Hell yeah's!" and instead focused on the ground that was quite a distance down beneath her.

_Is that a 'no' then? Pity that. _Sasuke questioned in her head audaciously, and with a slight trace of impertinence, but more mocking than anything else; he was only playing with her _**and**_ her feelings.

Sakura ignored him completely, the pout on her face enough to make him burst out laughing. _Heh..._ _I know you better than you know yourself... let's give you a show you can later brag about to all your friends..._ Sasuke thought to himself, before pulling to an abrupt stop on the nearest branch, pinching Sakura's face between his forefinger and thumb, forcefully turning her face to face his, bringing his lips down so fast that Sakura had no time to react.

A loud _'CRASH!'_ was all that was heard as Sakura was suddenly being tugged from the arms of Sasuke, and into the arms of... "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura cried out in surprise, before throwing her arms around his neck, grateful for his sudden radiating body warmth; she was numb from the cold the constant rain brought with it.

"Sakura! Did he hurt you; do anything to you?!" Kakashi asked in a stern voice, anger and worry washing off of him and onto the pinked haired medic. He had just pulled to an abrupt halt on a branch about a hundred metres away from the Uchiha in question, whom was now glaring icily at his former sensei; he had taken away the one plaything that would inevitably keep him thoroughly entertained in his utter boredom for quite some time. Yet again, he returned to his normal Sasuke-ish demeanour, bringing some _slight_ relief to Sakura; whenever he acted so out of character it was scary, it obviously raised some measure of fear within her. And did he just attempt to _kiss_ her? Wow, now she suddenly felt woozy from all of her recent blush attacks. Returning so that her gaze was now on her sensei, she noticed that he seemed... _tired_, more so than usual, like he had actually managed to age over the period of time that she hadn't seen him, which was not very long. "Kaka-sen—"

"Sakura." The sound of her name being uttered by the Uchiha across from them was slightly discomforting, until he muttered as quietly and gently as he could, "Get away from that man." Her eyes widened considerably, before she retorted casually,

"Why the hell should I?! So you can just mess around with my feelings?! _Ha_, unlikely."

"Get. Away. From. Him. _NOW_." It was said with such contempt and malice that it had Sakura flinch in surprise, before she noticed a drastic difference between the man that held her now and the one she referred to as her sensei. This man was _not_ wearing his mask, unlike the Kakashi-sensei Sakura had seen when caught up in Sasuke's genjutsu, and he never took it off in battle, no matter what the circumstances. What held her attention though was that this 'copycat' assuming _his_ form _actually_ knew what the real Kakashi looked like, capturing his handsome looks hands down. Panic rose in her chest as the man in question looked at her with what seemed to be lust (figures to _that_). "It's been a long time.... _Sakura_...." The maliciously lusty voice boomed, a trace of disgusting, gut-wrenching familiarity sinking in to Sakura's mind. _It can't be...._

"Shaora...!"

Kakashi heard an ear-splitting scream that could have only belonged to Sakura, and pushed himself into full gear, completely leaving the rest of the group that was his squad behind, panic and anger consuming him whole. _Just what is __**he**__ doing to you, Sakura?! _Kakashi thought as he closed in on the back of a very familiar young man.

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks just in time to see an explosion of what appeared to be a smoke bomb, and then an unfamiliar chakra along with one very recognisable one sliver out of the perturbation of gathered, thick black smoke. _**Sakura-chan...!**__ Who's that man she's with? It __**looks**__ like Kakashi-sensei.... but it __**isn't**__ him! I'd recognise his chakra signal __**anywhere**__! That man is an imposter!_

"Sakura. Get away from that man now." Naruto's head snapped to the side to see Sasuke, a fair bits away from him, but close enough to aid in battle if the need arose, standing tense and at the ready, hand gripping the hilt of his katana. He apparently sensed it too, as his eyes had gone a crimson red, tomoes a distinct black. _Sharingan_.

Sasuke blinked slightly, biting back his sudden anger, at least Naruto thought it was anger. He hadn't been close enough to hear what Sakura had said to Sasuke, but Naruto could tell from his friend's posture that it wasn't very polite, nor the answer he desired. So instead, he let the venom drip from his tone, changing Sakura's demeanour almost instantly; she had tensed, and turned her head slowly, voice caught in her throat as she said the single word that sent unexpected chills down Naruto's spine. "Shaora...!"

_She knows that man?_ Sasuke questioned silently, unsure whether or not the man in front of him was a threat or not. Judging from the look on Sakura's face, he took that as a yes. Readying himself for an attack, Sasuke bent forward, only to hear an oppressed yell from... _**Naruto?!**_

"Behind you! Teme, look behind you!"

Sensing a sudden flare of strikingly familiar chakra burst free from behind him, Sasuke spun on his heel only to come face to face with the _real_ Kakashi, whom was hurtling towards him with blinding speed, his 'Chidori; Double Charge' in palm, anger bleeding off of him. Sasuke simply outdid his sensei; centring chakra to the soles of his feet, bending into a crouched position, he shot upwards, using his right foot to propel himself off of Kakashi's right shoulder, separating the distance between them. Sasuke managed a graceful backflip, landing on all fours and found himself being pulled to a stop by the blonde baka himself, who had moved just in time so that Sasuke more or less collided back-on into Naruto's chest. "You alright, Sasuke?!" Naruto asked, clearly concerned for the young man he thought of as his brother. With a muttered, "Hn", Sasuke stood up, a good four heads taller than Naruto, who was also taller than Juugo, whom had been previously taller than the two. The wonders of puberty....

Sasuke stretched out his muscles carefully, so he did not strain them, completely ignoring the man who held Sakura captive, and let his gaze rest upon Kakashi Hatake, the renowned 'copycat ninja', his former sensei. "It's been a while, Kakashi."

"Yes, it has.... hasn't it... Sasuke...?" The saying 'like father like son' wasn't enough to describe the uncanny similarities between this sensei and his top student (though of course they aren't related or anything). With a single look, Sasuke had managed to restore Kakashi's trust and faith in him, only slightly though, seeing as he _did_ betray the village and went off to Orochimaru, even _after_ Kakashi warned him specifically not to. _What happened?_ _What's going on? Who is that man over there, with Sakura?_ Kakashi asked telepathically, seeing as they _had_ made some sort of physical contact in the past minute and a half. Sasuke answered curtly, like he was impatient to act; and indeed he was.

_Sakura mentioned something along the lines of 'Shaora'.... does that name ring a bell with you...?_

Taking in Kakashi's tensed posture, he deduced the answer down to a sturdy HELL YES. _We have to get her away from __**him**__..._ Kakashi choked out through their link, and Sasuke noticed that Kakashi's jaw was tightly clenched together, his hands now balled into fists. He then turned to make eye contact with Sakura, who looked as if she were about to burst into tears; the man's hands began to roam in places she would rather die before letting _him_ touch. The feeling was mutual, as Sasuke was _not_ happy that a man that Sakura clearly despised was now at this very minute touching her in highly inappropriate places. And possibly because he wasn't the one doing all the touching and groping. He shuddered slightly, disgusted by his own vulgar thought; the old Sasuke Uchiha really had returned, and whilst he reflected on all of the other moments where he had let his hormones rule his mind, Sakura continued to struggle futilely, the name of the man she was confused about her feelings for plastered to her lips. _Help me... Sasuke-kun...._

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, who in turn looked at him; Naruto was more or less looking between everyone at the moment, from Sakura, to Sasuke, to Kakashi and then back to Sakura. He knew what they had to do in order to save Sakura; they had to fight this foe together; they had to become Team Kakashi once more, and although Sasuke didn't like the idea much (Kakashi could tell simply by the definite scowl that graced his lips), he also understood the implication; in order to save the pink haired kunoichi from the mysterious man known as 'Shaora', they would have to reacquaint with one another, set aside all personal feelings and afflictions, and settle this once and for all, as a 'team'. Kami, was this turning out to be a drag, and one hell of a mondo _pain_ in the ass....

**a/n: Mwahahahahahaha! FINISHED!! XP**

**I love writing my own cliff-hangers, even if this one isn't much! (Funny how I love to write my own, but I hate it when other authors that I like leave it off at the best fucking bit! { It slightly pisses me off; but anyways!)**

**Yeah, this chapter was like 15, 241 words; excluding the author's note and disclaimer at the top! (Yes, not very long, but still! The longest so far! ^ ^)**

**I hope this one was satisfactory for now; Sakura's behaviour and fickle feelings towards her teammates **_**will**_** change, so please don't shun me for it this early in to the story! Thank you so much for being patient with this chapter, whether it was much anticipated or not! **

**Please review, and arigato gozaimasu! **** You all make me smile!! =3**


	6. Truth revealed Sakura's forgotten past

**a/n: Now we're on to chapter 5!! I don't think that that is something to be **_**majorly**_** excited about, but still! Chapter 5! Heheheheheheh, enjoy and arigato gozaimasu! ****=3 **

**(NOTE: When reading the fight scenes, **_**Slipknot**_** is the perfect band to listen to! **

**A song in particular I recommend would be **_**'Wait and Bleed'**_**- More intense? Try **_**'Everything ends'**_** or **_**'Spit it out!' **_**If you want more suggestions, then I'd be more than happy to suggest some! ^ ^ There aren't many fights in this one though, gomen! Another good song [a sappy one] to listen to in touching moments is **_**'Everything'**_** by **_**Lifehouse**_**. Trust me; beeeaaautiful song!)**

**Disclaimer: The only aspect of Naruto I own is the Uchiha Clan name; I am the bearer of Sasuke's future heirs, and so there we have it! ^ ^**

* * *

Chapter 5

The truth revealed; Sakura's forgotten past

"Hey! Come _on_ guys! Sakura-chan is in _serious_ trouble, and here we are quarrelling about whether or not we should team up! Let's just _do_ this already!" Naruto whined impatiently, the worry for Sakura making him jumpy and irate.

Kakashi and Sasuke on the other hand were thinking otherwise; they stood there, staring each other down, glaring enough to cause permanent damage to the blood vessels in their eyes.

They were being childishly stubborn, the intensity of how badly they didn't want to fight together clearly evident; Sasuke didn't want anyone interfering with him and his plans, and dead straight _refused_ to go back to the village, whether willingly or by force (he'd kill them before _that_ happened), whereas Kakashi still didn't trust his former prodigy student, thinking that if he did, he would just be betrayed once more, that faith and trust totally misplaced and manipulated to the Uchiha's convenience.

Naruto had officially had enough; pulling out a kunai, he took off towards the man called 'Shaora', hoping the others' would follow in suit, and to which they had no other option; the baka would be killed facing off against _that_ _man_ alone, and his scheme to get the former sensei-student duo to fight alongside one another was regretfully working, as they now ran just inches from one another, shoulders just touching, as they took off in the direction Naruto had just run towards.

* * *

Tsunade sat idly at her desk, leaning back in her reclining chair, the stress and worry lines evident on the blonde, dark black bags lining her eyes indicating that she had not slept for several days. _You really did go to stop the attack.... Ha, looks like the jokes on me..._

Letting out a prolonged sigh, Tsunade stood, the sound of her clothing shifting and her heels clacking on the marble tiling the only things audible; unless of course you count the imaginary crickets, indicating the suffocating silence that had consumed the village within the past couple of hours.

First Tsunade had to tell the villagers' of Sakura's imprisonment and stealthy escape, _then_ explain why she had been imprisoned and been so determined to defy the Hokage's wishes in the first place. Kami, did she _hate_ being the head of the village sometimes...

Telling them of Naruto's betrayal was _hard_, but telling them that he had joined Sasuke's little troupe was _even_ _**harder**_; that was what had everyone so confused and stricken at the moment; why would Naruto Uzumaki, the number one hyperactive-knuckleheaded ninja of Konohagakure, want to join a well known S-ranked criminal group?

Therein lies the answer. A sharp knock was sounded at her door, and she answered with a weary "Enter". The trio that came in, however, brought a fleeting smile to the blonde's lips.

"It's a pleasure to welcome you to the village again, Kazekage-sama; Gaara of the Sand. Temari, Kankuro." She nodded in acknowledgment of their presence, to which they answered back with curt bows, clearly in a hurry to get the sudden hearing over and done with.

"Yes, it has been a while, Hokage-sama." Gaara replied politely, never at a loss for his manners in the presence of one of his seniors'. With a fond smile, Tsunade gestured towards the comfortable couch that had been recently refurbished; well, more accurately _replaced_; the last one was within the vicinity of Tsunade getting angry.

The trio nodded, before making themselves comfortable on the soft, overly stuffed purple sofa, knowing that they would only have been asked to take a seat if this meeting was going to be a drastically long one.

"I have prepared suitable quarters for your stay, seeing as after you have heard what I have to say, you may want to stick around." They nodded in slight uncertainty, before Gaara began to speak, authority as Suna's Kazekage clearly apparent.

"What is it that you have called us for? If the matter was directly concerning me, then it has to be of significant importance; otherwise you would have never put out a special request to seek an audience with me. What could be of such implication that you would directly ask for me, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade nodded brusquely, anticipating his words and already prepared with an answer. "I am about to get to that."

* * *

_Naruto?! Sasuke-kun?! Kaka-sensei?! What are they doing?!_ Sakura thought, clearly alarmed by their sudden movements; her previous discomfort of being touched by Shaora was long forgotten. They were now positioned in a three-man line, coming up the same tree branch at such speeds it was incomprehensible to anyone witnessing it, weapons drawn and poised for attack.

Shaora seemed too preoccupied to even notice the onslaught that was heading his way, almost drooling at the swell of her breasts, the curves, width, of her hips, everything had him distracted.

So much so in fact, that even as the first bombardment of shuriken came his way, they were completely disregarded; until, that is, just as they were about to make contact with his flesh, which still remained in the form of her sensei, who was now hurtling towards her, bloodlust burning in his eyes, similar feelings within the eyes of both Sasuke and Naruto as well.

Chuckling softly, he simply lifted his hand into the empty air around him, and made a slight flicking gesture with his wrist, completely deflecting the weapons and sending them back in the direction they had just come from; towards the people who mattered most to her (Kakashi definitely, Naruto and Sasuke however... their disposition was currently unknown to the pink haired kunoichi).

Without even thinking, she charged chakra throughout her entire body, flooding it, before prying his steel grip off easily, flipping backwards so that she could kick him in the face, making indefinite contact, pushing off of his body just in time to watch him fly into the cliff face several feet away.

Sidestepping the second bombardment of shuriken, that had been thrown before the former team could have predicted the bastard Shaora's movements, Sakura disappeared, reappearing in front of the three men, kunai at hand.

With a twitch of her index finger, she had the kunai spinning in and out between both her forefinger and her middle finger, deflecting the spinning stars and sending them towards the tree directly across from her.

A rush of adrenaline ran through her as she shoved Naruto out of the way, with not quite as much force as she had earlier on, but still enough to have him topple off of the thick tree trunk and towards the safety of a sturdy branch just metres below, ducking down low as another load of shuriken came towards the spot where Naruto had just been standing seconds before.

Propelling herself upwards, she caught hold of a branch, swinging even further up, somersaulting and bringing her leg down onto the ground upon which stood the cocky prick Shaora, a disgusting expression of lust and horniness plastered on his copied features.

The minute her leg connected with the ground, there was a dangerous rumbling, before a loud _CRACK_ sounded, the earth splitting into many pieces, and then the earthquake truly began; all the area within vicinity of Sakura's monstrous upheaval was lifted, completely obliterated, until there was barely any forest that remained standing.

Sasuke and Kakashi had moved agilely, grabbing a hold of Naruto whilst making their perfectly timed escape, landing just inches from the pink haired kunoichi.

Suigetsu, Juugo and Karin had also moved in a reasonable amount of time before the quake hit them, though Juugo had to throw Karin over his shoulder in order to make it out completely unscathed. They landed alongside their leader, who was at this moment looking rather shocked at the damage Sakura had just caused. If he was surprised, then imagine Naruto and Suigetsu's reaction...

"Whoa! Holy crap! _That_ chick caused all this damage?!" Suigetsu exclaimed in utter astonishment, disbelief seeping through rather slowly, as he pointed an accusing finger at Sakura. "Maybe I went a little _too_ overboard?" Sakura stated innocently to no one in particular, but a new voice entered the clearing, dripping sarcasm and total discomfort with the scene that had just unfolded. "You're kidding me right, billboard-brow?! That's a _little_ overboard? Understatement of the year!"

"You're just jealous that you didn't have the potential nor the ability to do it too, Ino-pig." Sakura exclaimed in slight superiority, her warm welcome completely drenched the minute Ino began to talk. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Sakura Haruno."

_Ulp..._ "T-Tsunade-shishou! What are y-you doing out here? I thought you were supposed to be preparing a m-meeting with Gaara-ku—I mean Kazekage-sama!" Sakura choked out, shaken by her shishou's sudden appearance.

"She was; but now I am here." Sakura jumped ten feet into the air, as the voice of none other than Gaara spoke up, from behind her no less. "Gaara-kun! Don't sneak up on me like that! You scared the crap outta me!" Sakura squealed in exasperation, her heart still thumping like crazy.

* * *

"GAARA!" Naruto's gravelly voice echoed throughout the completely destroyed glade, excitement evident as he rushed towards his friend.

Just as he was about to make contact, however, Temari and Kankuro sprung to action; moving swiftly so that they were positioned in front of their baby brother, they began their attack; Temari tugged her fan over her right shoulder, whipping it open to expose all three purple full moons, before agilely spinning on her right leg, resting her weight on it, as she brought her fan above her head, as if she had a crest like that of a peacocks floating above her, a tornado-like wind forming around her body.

And with that, she came to an abrupt halt, the still spinning tornado seeking destruction, immediately throwing her body weight forwards, so that she was now bent over, bringing her large fan to her front, sending both the deadly, sharp cutting winds and the tornado towards Naruto, at excessive speeds.

Whilst Temari's tornado had been forming, Kankuro had pulled out Crow, his most used puppet and the favourite of his collection, and sent it towards the blonde, sharp poison daggers exposed and hurtling towards their target.

Before either of their attacks hit, however, a sand barrier formed, protecting Naruto from the incoming threat, repelling both the winds and the daggers and sending them in all directions, away from any of the people in the area.

Temari and Kankuro both turned shocked to face their brother, who was looking at Naruto with a warmness and intensity they'd never witnessed before; he was looking at Naruto as if he would an idol of sorts, there being clear admiration, but also... affection... _love_... something they thought he would only ever feel for his siblings.

But in some cases, Naruto truly was considered family to them, a brother to Gaara, as he was to Sasuke. Taking slow, steady steps, Gaara moved so that he was standing just in front of Naruto, who looked both bewildered and slightly teary; the sudden reunion of a close, dear friend becoming slightly too much for him to handle in one day.

"Naruto... why did you do it...?" Gaara stated simply, genuinely confused by Naruto's actions; the actions that caused Gaara to be directly involved in the conflict and confrontation. Naruto cocked his head to the side, apparently not following Gaara's question, so, sighing inwardly, as most seem to do lately, he repeated, although this time he elaborated.

"Why did you leave Konoha, joining Sasuke's organisation instead of following your dream? Why did you throw away everything, your bonds, ambitions, _everything_, just to be with Sasuke? Wasn't your original goal to bring him back?" Naruto's eyes went sullen, the sudden onslaught of questions making him feel nauseous, but he held his ground never the less, answering to the best of his ability.

"I left to convince Sasuke to come back, even though that meant that I had to join his known criminal group. I never would have left if this," Naruto gestured to the surrounding area, before continuing, "was to be the inevitable result. And I _never_ left because I wanted to hurt the people I care about; I left to keep my promise to Sakura-chan. My promise of a lifetime, and I never go back on my word! I swore to her that I would bring Sasuke back, and I will! Sakura-chan! You remember right? What you said to me that day?"

* * *

Sakura's eyes darkened, her lack of sleep turning her into an insomniac, and she chose to remain silent, for the benefit of her guilty, tumultuous emotions, which were swaying between whether or not she should defend Naruto's statement, or let him sound like a complete nut in the presence of both the Kazekage _and_ the Hokage.

Right now she was determined to believe that after what he had done to her two years earlier, he deserved to be punished; it was an entitlement that she could relish in. Switching off her emotions was hard, but her feelings towards both the blonde and the dark, brooding Uchiha? Barely feasible. But she would manage, somehow.

* * *

Naruto's brow furrowed in frustration, as he noticed for the first time since he had directly spoken to her that she was ignoring him. Why is she...? Naruto thought, thinking maybe he should speak to her again, just in case she hadn't been paying attention, or just hadn't heard him; he refused to believe that she would deliberately discount him. "Sakura-chan...? Did you hear—"

"I heard perfectly, Naruto. I just choose not to dignify your ridiculous claims with an answer." Sakura replied abruptly, her back to him as she stared at the damage she had done only minutes before. What...?

"What do you mean 'ridiculous claims?' That's what you asked me, all those years ago; 'Please... Naruto... This is my once in a lifetime request; please... please bring Sasuke back to me!' That's what you said, Sakura-chan! Why are you denying it...? Answer me!"

"I don't have to say anything to you! Not after what you did to me! You _do_ remember that insignificant chapter of your miserable existence, right?!" Sakura screamed, anger frizzling out of control as she turned her glare upon Naruto, whom flinched ever so slightly. Since when had Sakura ever _glared_ at anyone? "You mean when I left...? I already explained that! I left because—"

"I'm not talking about that; I am referring to you trying to kill me on that ridge two years ago! Or have you permanently wiped that memory out of your system, assuming that I would simply forgive you and welcome you back to the village with open arms?! Well if that's the case, then you can go get fucked!" Sakura growled through clenched teeth, her eyes burning with tears of anger.

"SAKURA!" Ino scolded; although she understood the situation, and thoroughly detested Naruto for it, she believed it was rude to use profanities to express anger; physical displays were much more entertaining, as well as productive; plus, they got the point around faster.

"Oh, go back to gawking at Sasuke, Ino-bitch!" Sakura stated viciously, changing the 'affectionate' nick name she had given to Ino when she was younger to something that both suited her tastes and her current mood; majorly pissed off.

Ino's jaw dropped, the insult very near bringing her to tears, but she would not offer that kind of response; no longer was she weak either. Sakura turned her attention back to Naruto, who was gaping at her in disbelief, as if she had quite literally socked him in the gut.

"What are you talking about? I never—"

"Trying to squirm out of it?! Let's face it Naruto; no one else in this village could produce such a powerful rasengan, leaving _this_ as it's result!" Sakura ripped the kimono's fabric from her body, tearing it at the seams, and stood there, unabashedly in her revealing fighting gear, continuing to glare holes into Naruto's eyes, letting the sounds of plainly horrified and indistinguishable muffled cries escape, taking in her exterior damage.

* * *

Sasuke allowed himself a moment to look unashamedly shocked, to which Karin, along with a select few of the other females, let out silent gasps, disbelief colouring their jealousy toward the woman whom had Sasuke's undivided attention; he just ignored them and continued to stare intently.

On her right abdomen, there was a fist sized scar that branched off and up her chest, reminding Sasuke of the Hyuga family's byakugan, only this was a shade of pinkish-red, making it extremely prominent against her pale complexion and bubblegum-pink locks.

There were also thin, long scars all over her arms and thighs, every inch of her body covered in them, indicating that the lacerations that had once been were deep, particularly if they had scarred her to that degree. What shocked Sasuke the most was the fact that she had not healed them. _She is a medical ninja right? Then why hasn't she...? Or is it because she __**can't**__?_

* * *

As Sakura continued to turn so they could see the extent of the damage on her back, she noticed the Uchiha looking at the scars fixedly, as if he saw something that intrigued, or slightly confused him. _Why is he looking at me like that?_ Sakura thought, becoming uncomfortable and self conscious about her body all at once, remembering all the times she'd imagined him looking at her naked body as a young girl.

No man, no matter how low in status, would even consider touching her once they got a good look at her body, a close up of her scars. And to have the man you seemingly love looking at the revolting scars… only made Sakura want to cover up her shame, hide away and burst into tears.

But what fascinated Sakura was the _way_ Sasuke was looking at her; it wasn't disgust, no, most definitely not (Sakura was sure she had seen what appeared to be pity, shock, and a flicker of anger cross his angelic yet dazzlingly handsome features), but something along the lines of… _curiosity_?

She couldn't be sure, because the next thing she knew, Naruto was sagging to the hard, craggy surface upon which he had only moments ago stood, eyes wide, body trembling violently in equal response. From the looks of things he was having a fit, and just as Sakura was about to move forward in a panicking reaction, she remembered what she had promised herself and pulled herself to an abrupt halt, mid-step.

Instead, Sasuke moved forward, with such speed that it had everyone in the clearing gasp in awe and tense apprehension; they apparently assumed he was about to attack, seeing as everyone there had gotten into fighting stance, Gaara the exception.

In fact, _he_ had actually moved forward in time to break Naruto's sudden fall of sorts, and was supporting him carefully on his left shoulder as Sasuke attempted to calm Naruto down; he was now hyperventilating quite harshly. "Naruto… Naruto! Calm down, you loser! Breathe! Just breathe…."

Naruto followed Sasuke's tense instructions, taking deep breaths, holding them for a moment, before releasing them once more. Sasuke had momentarily relaxed, sighing inaudibly as he lifted Naruto up onto his back, shuffling his weight slightly, and quietly thanked (who would have thought that _the_ Sasuke Uchiha could mutter out a meaningful apology?) Gaara for his help, before making his way back to Team Taka.

Sakura quickly composed herself, bringing back her cold mask that portrayed no emotion whatsoever, as Sasuke turned his glare upon her; she had expected as much. "What fucking right do you have showing Naruto _that_?! Especially since I know he didn't do it." He spat out _that_ as if even the mention of it disgusted him; again, Sakura had expected as much, or should have, because her facial expression faltered slightly, a tinge of guilt painting her face, before once again regaining her composure.

Calmly, icily, she retorted, "Heh. Figures. Standing up for him like he and I did for you back then; the wonders of everlasting friendship, of brotherly bonds. How nice for you!" The sarcastic remark attached to the end of her sentence was enough to cause Sasuke to flinch ever so slightly, and for Naruto to full on convulse.

"Naruto! Get a hold of yourself! Ignore her; _I'll_ deal with this, so rest, konno usuratonkachi!" Naruto smiled slightly as he relaxed his tense muscles, letting his head (which mind you felt like a million tonnes) slump with a gentle _thud_ onto Sasuke's right shoulder, eyelids drooping to some extent.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto with his peripheral vision, before returning his cold, stony, malicious gaze back towards Sakura. "_Explain_." Was all that Sasuke said, his voice in dull monotone as his eyes bored into Sakura's, a flicker of fear evident, but was gone just as quickly as it appeared.

"Two years ago, on _that day_," Sakura spat out in clear disgust, before pressing on, "the day Naruto left to apparently _'join'_ _your_ _'team'_," again, Sakura emphasised her distaste through a feral tone, an explosion of embodied anger inevitable, "we got into an argument of sorts; the result of that quarrel lies here."

Sakura gestured toward her body where numerous scars littered her porcelain skin. Sasuke nodded apathetically, gesturing for her to continue, as his patience was already running thin with her 'detailed explanation.' Her lip twitched in an attempt to withdraw her bitterness, only just succeeding, but she complied never the less.

"We fought about the promise that _he_ made to me the day you left, and the one _I_ made to _him_; simple. He broke his promise the first time around," Naruto flinched convulsively, startling Sasuke and causing him to cock his eye back to see if the was okay (a/n: The reason Sasuke is still holding onto Naruto is because he is worried that if he left Naruto to sit/lie/stand by himself, and Sakura said something that invoked a similar reaction to the one he had just had and the episode from earlier, then he may become more unstable than before. The other reason being is that he is trying to keep his friend as relatively calm as possible.), to which there was a muffled _'I'm fine Sasuke'_ reply from the blonde.

Nodding sharply, he refocused his full attention in Sakura, as she continued as if there had been no interruption in the first place.

"And then he refused to acknowledge the newly renewed one; he simply wouldn't let me help him bring you back. I believe his exact words were _"You're a nuisance and would be of no help in retrieving Sasuke. You have always been the weakest in the team, shown in every other aspect of training that wasn't anything chakra related or analytically relevant. What use would you be if we entered a battlefield for taijutsu and ninjutsu based ninja? Where would you fit in? Sure, you're a med-nin, and the student of Tsunade-baa-chan, but that doesn't really count for anything if we have to save your useless hide from the enemy."_ Was that right, or was I a little off, Naruto?"

Sakura addressed the blonde ninja directly, very little in response coming from him. Sasuke looked back to see if Naruto was alright, only to be shell-shocked at what he saw; Naruto was crying, but it wasn't because of anything Sakura had said, as everyone soon found out.

"Sakura-chan…. what are you…. talking about…? I… I was no where near you when… when… _that_… happened to you… I was confronting Sasuke… we were fighting… then you… you appeared out of thin air… and demanded that we fight… Sasuke was the one to stop you… stop you from… _killing_ me… so what do you mean by—"

"LIES!" Sakura screamed out, confusion rolling over her, suffocating her entire existence. _But what if what Naruto says is true—_

"I'm not lying Sakura-chan!" Naruto threw back a retort with equal force, snapping Sakura out of her reverie and forcing her to listen. "I would _never_ lie about something like _that_… Sasuke wouldn't either… he was just as confused as I was at the time… 'cause you were s'posed to be helping out with the wounded….after Madara Uchiha began the Fourth Ninja War! You were s'posed to be healing Tsunade-baa-chan when I was with Sasuke, remember?!"

The memories slammed into Sakura like she had just walked into a brick wall; working in the ruins of the hospital, finding trapped survivors under the rubble, healing the injured and attempting to revive those who were already beyond hope of saving, pouring her last reserves of chakra into Tsunade, seeing a flash of yellow spiky hair dash off in the opposite direction, before pulling up in front of the tent exclaiming that Sasuke was nearby and he was going to stop him and bring him back for sure this time….. the mysterious change of attitude when Sakura encountered Naruto, who was no where _near_ where Sasuke had been positioned, nor where the blonde baka from moments ago went running off to. No… this wasn't Naruto… but then who…?

A deep, resonant chuckle rose into the air, raising the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck, forming a cold sweat and goosebumps as she slowly spun on her heel to face the man whom had been watching the display from the shadows, unbeknownst to Sakura or her audience.

"_You_…. you fucking bastard! It was _you_ all along, wasn't it… wasn't it… _Shaora_?!" A sarcastic, drawn out clapping motion was pulled, the repetitive drone of Shaora's hands thumping together irritating and infuriating Sakura to the point of her destroying everything in plain sight, and beyond.

"So you finally figured it out… geez, Sakura, you are so _gullible_; naïve as always, quick to jump to the _wrong_ conclusion. You are still the same, just like your _whore_ of a mother—"

"Don't you fucking _dare_ speak of my mother like that, you piece of _shit_!" Sakura hollered, the only thing she could see was red; red for anger, red for blood. She wanted to see this man's blood shed, spilt all over the soil on which they stood.

Kami, did she want it _bad_…

"Well, I guess now that my cover's blown…" Shaora chuckled lightly, as if the situation didn't bother him in the slightest; even though that situation consisted of a bloodthirsty pink haired kunoichi, and her equally bloodlusting comrades; Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi being the _worst_ of the bunch, even more so than Tsunade herself.

And with that, it began.

Shaora simply… _disappeared_.

"Come and find me when you wanna play _Sakura-chan_…. after all… we have a _bargain_ to settle…" His voice died on the wind, and with that, Sakura stood there, shaking violently, silently figuring out ways to curb her fuming anger, all of them involving torturing _that man_ to no ends, until he was left writhing in agony, screaming and pleading for the mercy that he knew would not come… especially from Sakura; the only thing that was to be expected from her was cold-hearted retribution.

She began to pant heavily, the reminder of _that day_ and it's inconsistencies finally awakening Sakura from her confined cell; the realisation that Naruto had done _nothing_ wrong, the realisation that he really was just _Naruto_ after all, and _not_ the one who hurt her… it made her weak in the knees; even whilst her vicious, uncurbed anger remained intact, she was happy.

Little did she realise that Kakashi was now holding her upright, keeping her pressed firmly to his chest as she began to sob, for no apparent reason, without any sudden warning. The first time that she cried out of happiness, relief, since the day she found out that Sasuke was alright, that Orochimaru had not prevailed in taking his body away from his own rightful control. The first time she felt truly happy amidst the anger.

* * *

Naruto was now on his feet, blood boiling to every part of his body, a purple vein protruding from his forehead as he ground his teeth together in an attempt to remain silent.

So far, it was doing little good. Naruto couldn't stand watching Sakura cry, and yet here she was, sobbing into their sensei's (or should he say his 'former' sensei) chest, clutching his shirt as if he were life itself, as if he was the only shred of humanity left in the world, the piece of her that she needed the most.

Kami, did it _hurt_ to watch her shed tears, even over the most trivial of things. But this time he knew it was allowed; after all, what more of a reason should there be after you just found out the past two years of your life you've spent hating someone you love actually turn out to be a fraud?

* * *

Sasuke stood there, silent and unreceptive, as he watched Sakura cling to the silver haired jonin. There was a part of him- the smallest part of him- that wanted no more than to put an end to those tears in any way or by any means necessary.

_Then_ there was the other part of him- the dominant side- that wanted to turn around and walk away from this mess, killing a certain pig of a bastard along the way to cease any more troubles. Hell, the latter seemed to be the most popular verdict, but for some reason beyond Sasuke's capable understanding, he wouldn't budge.

Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he detected a small movement, followed by a flash of metal, and without even thinking, he grabbed Naruto around the waist, hauled him up in between his side and his hip, and moved to where his teammates had now relocated, alongside the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.

* * *

Sakura's head snapped up the minute she caught the faint scent of poison (training alone with Kakashi enabled Sakura's senses to adjust to the different distances of which a sound and or scent could be tracked), Kakashi's already looking in the direction to which the scent _and_ sound (which Sakura had failed to pick up on) were coming from.

A rather large bombardment of kunai and shuriken were headed directly towards the Uchiha and his teammates, and just as soon as they seemed to be there, the sooner they were repositioned next to a certain shishou-who-cannot-be-named. ANBU came charging out of the forest, flying head on with the enraged Uchiha survivor.

_Fuck! Why can't these fucking bastards get a fucking life?!_ Sasuke thought irately as he glared at the oncoming shinobi, who didn't seem in the least bit phased by the Uchiha's menacing demeanour. Naruto was none to pleased either, the lack of a goofy smile and instead replaced with that of a feral scowl enough to determine this.

"Argh!" Sasuke called out in frustration as he readied his katana, the first unlucky bastard to feel the Uchiha's wrath almost upon him. That is until another body agilely moved so that they were shielding him from any direct harm.

* * *

"Enough…" The person in question muttered, the ANBU member on his knees, arms pulled tightly behind his back in an unbreakable stranglehold (the only thing that would end up broken would be the fool who thought he could attack an Uchiha), as the person surveyed the scene.

Already Naruto and the rest of Sasuke's squad were fighting, defending themselves from the attackers, whilst Tsunade and said spectators just stood there… dumfounded. What alarmed the person most was the fact that one of the ANBU members were about to swing their gigantic sword and lop off Naruto's head.

With speed and precision, Sasuke's _'saviour'_ threw the useless ANBU into a tree not to far away, spinning around on their right foot until all of their body weight was on their left, seizing hold of the monster sword between their palms and simply snapped the blasted thing in two, all the while remaining calm and composed, Naruto half lying on his side, half propped up on it, eyes wide in what appeared to be shock.

"I believe you didn't hear me the first time…" the feminine voice murmured quietly, before repeating her precious statement, with a lot more force and projectable anger.

"I said _ENOUGH_!" From this one sentence, all the ANBU members present dropped their weapons to the ground, paling and kneeling down so that they were in traditional apology stance. Bowing so that their heads were touching the ground, and their hands outstretched before them, they remained silent, waiting for an excuse to stand once more. "S-Sakura-chan…. why..?"

"Naruto… you may not be the one who damaged me… but that does not mean I can simply forgive and forget…. it does not entitle you to my respect, nor my hard-earned trust… but I cannot simply stand idly by whilst you and your _'teammates'_ are unjustifiably slaughtered, particularly since you have done no wrong, aside from joining Sasuke in the first place. For now, you can be considered an ally, along with your teammates; in this time of disruption, we need all of the help we can get. Isn't that right, shishou?"

Sakura stated quietly, in a barely distinguishable voice to any outside of hearing range, directing her sombre gaze towards her rather stunned mentor, who was not used to the sudden exposure. The ANBU had long since stood up, all attention falling upon their leader for a decision.

With a weary sigh, and a scrunch of her eyebrows, Tsunade raised her head, a newfound determination burning in her eyes as she gave her verdict on the situation.

"As it appears, Naruto is seemingly innocent until proven otherwise, and that goes along with his teammates as well. I assure you, Taka have much to make up for, but with their assistance, we can purge the world of this 'Shaora' and maintain the original balance of power; the alliance of Konohagakure, along with that of Sunagakure and Taka, are about to begin. That is, of course, unless you have a reason not to participate in helping your former village, Sasuke Uchiha?"

Tsunade pointed a fixed glare upon the sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan, who just shrugged and muttered a simple _'We've got nothing much else to do until a later date.'_ Kakashi smirked behind his mask, Naruto cheered gleefully, and Sakura let out a small smile, whilst the Uchiha remained stoic, complaints from a whiny Karin and a pissed off Suigetsu raining in on Sasuke's parade.

"Now… let's get this show on the road!" Tsunade roared, commanding what few shinobi she had to get into formation, whilst the rest returned to the village and retrieved what sources could be spared.

* * *

The darkness surrounding the cloaked figure was suffocating, never-ending. It just seemed to go on and on, in an abysmal attempt to smother the light. And from the looks of things, the likelihood of that was quite high.

"You have returned… Shaora… I expect everything is moving according to plan…" a smooth, silky, but very male voice whispered, seemingly distracted by Kami-sama knows what. "Yes, my lord. I have returned. With good news." Shaora rasped, his husky voice caught in his throat at the sight of his magnificent master, whom was sitting cross-legged in a high throne, the candlelight surrounding him flickering, casting sickening shadows against the cold, rough stone of the walls.

The sycophantic follower bowed low, before proceeding in escalating excitement, "She is alive, my lord! After all of these years… even after Amai (a/n: "Amai" means "sweet") was killed… she is still one of this world!" A relieved sigh left the man's lips, and his once pain stricken expression wore away, replaced with one of utter serenity.

"Ahhh…. My beautiful cherry blossom of the spring is still alive… after all this time of waiting in suspense… good work, Shaora… you shall be rewarded soon enough…." And with that, the man on the throne flipped over to the next page of the photo album he had discreetly tucked on his lap, focusing on the picture of a small girl with pink hair, green eyes and a very big heart; enough heart to unknowingly accept a man whom would later on in life rape, profusely beat, and murder her beloved mother, and set his sights on the real prize; the one who could bring him eternal life.

* * *

Gaara had called in reinforcements to help aid in the war against this 'Shaora' person, all the while wondering whether or not he should approach Naruto. _What if he isn't the same…? What if he just doesn't think of us as friends anymore?_ _What do I do then? _

Gaara reverted back to reality as another solid body collided with his own, sending the acclaimed Kazekage stumbling forwards in surprise. Turning so that his head was facing the gourd on his back, he noticed several blonde spikes attempting to hide behind him, but it didn't quite work as well as the blonde baka thought it would.

"Naruto… what are you doing?" Gaara asked nonchalantly, his gaze fixed on Naruto as he stuttered and rambled on about nothing in particular. "Er, well, ya see… I was, uh, you know, er…"

"Naruto…"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Why are you blushing like a timid high school girl?"

Naruto flushed a deeper shade, oblivious to the silent implication; that implication being that Gaara understood perfectly what Naruto was trying to say, but of course, Naruto was too much of an idiot to understand that. "Uh, well, I, uh…"

"Don't worry about it, Naruto. I get it; I understand." Gaara filled in curtly, hiding the smile that almost very nearly graced his lips with a typical, albeit rather awkward, smirk. (Gaara was still unused to human emotion, but was slowly grasping a better understanding of it, with the help of his family and friends.)

Naruto smiled, and in turn, the Kazekage could not help but return it; even amidst a situation such as the one they were in, were they able to put out a hand and shake on their friendship once more.

* * *

The cloaked man slowly, almost casually, made his way towards the clearing where his prized cherry blossom was last, Shaora flanking his left (being his General), and his third-in-command, Chiame, taking his right. Behind them walked the army of all armies; thousands of trained shinobi stalked in sync with one another, following their leader to his goal. Yes… war was indeed the king of all sports.

* * *

Sakura let out a laboured sigh as she took in the many brave shinobi that were risking everything to restore complete peace and order to the ninja world. They didn't even know _who_ they were up against; let alone _how_ many soldiers _he_ would ultimately bring to battle. Yes, he _had_ told Sakura to come looking for him, but she knew what he meant when he said that; _"You just stay right here, and if you're lucky, you may live to see another day." _Shaora had always been like that, even as a child.

_Flashback_

_**(NOTE: There will be bits in this flashback that reflect on Sasuke's point of view, as well as the rest of his family! **_**)**

_Sakura skipped gleefully through the park alongside Konoha's largest lake, which was quite close to the Uchiha residency, a place where Amai Haruno, Sakura's mother, had warned her never to trespass on; even stepping one foot on their land would cause a huge ruckus. But since when had Sakura ever __**really**__ listened to her mother?_

_ Well, usually all of the time, but not today; Sakura felt like a rebel, one that thirsted for adventure, for a new thrill. Darting agilely through the trees, Sakura was now just a step away from being in the most trouble of her life; or experiencing the most thrilling adventure of her meagre existence, whichever one came first. _

_Luckily for her, it was the latter. Clambering silently, albeit rather clumsily, up the stone steps, Sakura finally stood upon the Uchiha Clan's turf. Surveying the area, Sakura noticed the Clan's crest; their emblem of sorts. It was of a special fan used to help keep fires to a certain height, to keep them in control._

_ Rumours have been said that the reason that the Uchiha Clan's symbol was that of a fan is because of their extraordinary control and capabilities with the mastering of firestyle ninjutsu, varying from ages four and up, but Sakura could not really comprehend the truth; after all, she was not involved in the affairs of the Uchiha. _

_The top half of the fan is in red, whilst the bottom half in white, resembling that of a fishing bait that Sakura had seen her father use a year or so earlier. The instant thought of her dead father brought tears to her eyes, but she wiped them away instantaneously, determined to remain happy for her beloved daddy's sake. _

_What really caught Sakura's eye were the cherry blossom trees that surrounded the Uchiha compound; they were the most extravagant, beautiful blossoms she had ever laid eyes upon; white at the base of the petals, and a flush pink, the exact same shade as her hair, on the very tips, the centres a flourish of yellow, black and orange. The leaves alone were pieces of art; they were a bright green, strikingly similar to the colour of Sakura's eyes, curling up and forming a protective, almost loving, barrier around the flower itself. _

_And the aroma, the __**scent**__ the blossoms gave off… __**extremely**__ overpowering, drawing the young girl of six closer and closer to them… As she reached one of the trees, and lamely attempted to reach up and grab a hold of one (seriously, she is __**six**__, __**extremely**__ short, and has __**no**__ hope in __**hell**__ in reaching a cherry blossom from where she is currently positioned on the __**ground**__), a hand flew out and caught her wrist in an unbreakable, very painful grasp. _

_"Aaaaiieragh!" Sakura screamed out in pain, as the grip on her wrist tightened, and the fear in her eyes became even more so when she was spun around forcefully to face a very ugly, angry looking man (who seemed rather chubby from the angle Sakura was being held at). _

_"What the __**hell**__ do you think you're doing, you little bitch?! This is the __**Uchiha compound**__, not some amusement park that you can simply waltz up to and enter just like that! If you have authorised permission to be here, then let me see it, and then __**maybe**__ if I feel a little more considerate, I'll let you off the hook. Now, show me your—" _

_(From here on, this flashback will involve Sasuke, Itachi, Mikoto and Fugaku)_

"_Unhand her, Shaora. You have no right to handle a woman, let alone a young child, in that manner." A deep, baritone voice exclaimed smoothly, and the man known as Shaora turned, paling to a sickly white, as he saw none other than one of the most important members', if not __**the**__ most important member, of the Uchiha Clan standing before him, his displeasure and anger evident. _

"_Uh… Ah! I-Itachi-sama! I was just telling this girl—"_

"_Enough. Unhand her immediately and take your leave, Shaora." Itachi stated simply, but with enough malice and venom dripping off of his suave voice to kill three elephants in one go, and it had the desired effect. Shaora literally dropped the girl, and ran off, terrified for his own safety. _

_Of course, Itachi had moved so quickly that he managed to catch the falling girl (Shaora had lifted Sakura off of the ground so that he could look her in the eye and see the fear) in his toned, muscled arms, leaving her head awkwardly buried in his chest. Sakura was shaking, and quite badly at that; although she now understands what the saying "You got served your 'just desserts.'" _

_Itachi smiled warmly as Sakura peeked up through her pink bangs to take a quick glance at the man who saved her, who then flushed a dangerous shade of red as he bored into her emerald eyes with his obsidian. "Itachi-chan!" A feminine voice called out, and as Itachi tilted his head to see who it was, Sakura buried her face into the crook of his neck, tickling the sensitive flesh and causing Itachi to chuckle lightly. _

_"Mother, father." Itachi greeted as he turned around in full, so that Sakura was now in plain view. She flushed even deeper, and thought that if she dug her head in to his neck further, maybe they wouldn't notice her (a/n: no comment…). The only reaction that got her was a rather loud, boisterous laugh from the one known as Itachi._

_ "Hahahahahahaha! If your aim is to have my head fall off my shoulders because of your incessant pushing, then by all means, continue. It's either that, or you're trying to tickle me to death, little one!" Sakura blushed, realising in profound horror that she could possibly be hurting the man who had saved her from the 'Boogeyman' (her new nickname for Shaora; after all, he is definitely not attractive in the slightest, and kind of resembles a booger…) , and the mere thought of him losing his head made her want to cry. _

_So reluctantly, but quickly, she removed her head from the crook of his neck (apparently the place he is most ticklish), and pulled back to look into those deep, obsidian orbs of his. They contained warmth, with a trace of humour, and Sakura felt like she was drowning in them, like they were endless black pools that desperately needed exploring._

_ Her eyes were wide in amazement, like she was stuck in some sort of trance… "Itachi-chan, you're not using __**genjutsu**__ on the poor girl are you? Because she seems sort of… out of it…" Itachi's mother commented sternly, concerned for the girl Itachi had cradled in his arms._

_ "Of course not mother. Why on earth would I have the need to do something so lowly?" Itachi replied half-heartedly, all of his focus and attention remaining on the pink haired young lady he was currently holding on to. They were having a heated sort of staring contest as far as the spectators and passerby's could see. "Itachi oni-san! Itachi oni-san! Ita—" The young boy trailed off, apparently confused to see his oni-san holding some strange girl… with __**pink**__ hair… _

_Jealousy surged through him, as the young boy only wanted his brother to hold on to __**him**__ like that, to look at __**him**__ the way he was a complete stranger. A girl at that… a girl with __**pink**__ hair… (a/n: Yes… Sasuke can't quite come to terms with the fact that there is a girl __**with**__ pink hair… heheheh!)_

"_Hai, ototo?" Itachi replied absently, as he continued to stare at the young girl. Sakura was blushing a furious shade of red, seeing as she was looking into the eyes of such a handsome young man, and for quite some time at that. The young boy fumed, before walking up to his mother and pulling on the hem of her dress, all the while leaning against his mother's leg. _

_"Hai, Sasuke-chan?" His mother looked down at him in adoration, and he blushed lightly, a tint of pink staining his naturally pale cheeks. Kneeling down so that she was at eye level with her baby boy, Sasuke leaned into his mom, whispering quietly, "Who is that girl Itachi is holding?" She giggled lightly, the pout gracing her youngest son's lips he most adorable thing she had ever see him do (aside from learning to walk, talk, and not to mention the first time he learnt how to throw himself at people… always Itachi though…), before answering cheerily, "I have absolutely no idea Sasuke-chan! But we are about to find out!"_

_ Walking towards her oldest son, the __**pride**__ of the Uchiha Clan, she gently tapped Itachi on the shoulder, Sasuke shuffling behind his mother and staring up at the girl __**his**__ oni-san (a/n: Sasuke is trying to emphasise that Itachi is __**his**__ big brother, and __**only**__**his**__ big brother) was holding with such care, as if she were the most precious thing on the planet, was so delicate that even the slightest off remark would shatter her into a million shards of broken porcelain. _

_"Mm... Hai, mother?" Itachi looked up, slightly dazed, as if he had just woken up, or snapped out of a sudden trance, staring at his mother with the fullest of his undivided attention. Smiling, she said simply, "Well, since you have been so... __**attached**__ to this young lady, I figured you may want to introduce her to your beloved parents'. After all, the future wife of my oldest should be better acquainted with her in-laws. Right, Itachi-chan?" Itachi smiled lightly, blushing ever so daintily, whilst Sakura had gone a full-blown shade of hectic red, eyes wide in confusion, shaking her head from Itachi to the beautiful woman before them._

_ "A-ah..!" Was the only thing Sakura could choke out, stuttering heavily, which earned a thoroughly amused smirk from the young boy clinging to the woman's waist. Just by looking at him, though, Sakura felt her heart beat increase, her cheeks becoming a deep, rosy red instead of the fire-engine one that adorned her cheeks only moments beforehand. _

_He was simply... __**breathtaking**__.... the spitting image of (and Sakura assumed) his mother, dark, blue-black bangs falling messily around his creamy white face, the back of his hair spiked in all directions, and apparently quite natural. _

_Big, slightly almond shaped, obsidian (closer to onyx) eyes glared at her quite ruthlessly, breaking Sakura out of her... __**ogling**__. He had noticed she had been staring at him... well, __**intensely**__, and it annoyed the crap out of him. __**Itachi**__ was bad enough, but __**him**__? 'Another nuisance to contend with...' the six year old Sasuke thought sarcastically, clearly unamused with the situations turn of events. __Why was it that all of the village's female inhabitants had quite an attraction to the members of the Uchiha Clan? _

_As Sasuke continued to glare at the pink haired girl, Itachi conversed quietly with his parents, speaking of things Sakura had no idea about, and that was perfectly fine to her. That is, until they mentioned her mother. "I wonder how Amai is handling this..." The woman murmured softly, sadness creeping into her solemn, dark eyes. _

_"Yes... We may just have to pay her a visit, and soon." The older man, assumingly the father of Itachi and the younger boy, stated quietly, slight misery painting his tone, but not enough to make him seem emotionally involved. Suddenly not feeling shy and uncomfortable, Sakura spoke up, panic rising in her tone. "What do you mean? What's wrong with mommy?" _

_And just like that, the three's heads all snapped towards Sakura, who looked as if she would burst into tears at any apparent moment, her concern and confusion rather unsettling. "What do you mean, sweetheart? 'Mommy?'" The woman questioned soothingly, watching the girl's face intently, as if she would be sick or faint at the thought of something wrong with the woman in question. _

_"My mommy is the only person with the name 'Amai.' Amai Haruno; I'm her daughter, Sakura." Sakura stated simply, studying their reactions. With quick glances towards one another, they looked back towards the girl, who looked as if she would start to hyperventilate at any moment. _

_Itachi went into big brother mode almost immediately, kneeling down and placing Sakura on her feet before wrapping his arms around her gingerly, rubbing her back soothingly and whispering consoling comments into her ear. "It's alright, sweetheart; there is no need for you to fret. Please stay calm; you wouldn't want your mommy to get upset over hearing that you were hurting for her, would you now? That's a good girl." _

_Sakura sniffled lightly, whilst Itachi glanced up at his parents', who looked concerned, his mother touched by her son's actions. His gaze then fell upon his baby brother, who looked as if he had been socked in the gut hard enough to break ribs. Itachi felt a surge of guilt hit him, but continued to hold the sobbing girl. _

_Sakura, on the other hand, noticed Itachi's distress, and turned slightly to her left, tilting her glance to the grief-stricken boy who was barely containing his anger, jealousy and depression. The minute their gazes connected, a burning wall of hatred sprung to life, causing Sakura to stiffen in shock. _

_But she knew why he was acting out this way. Turning so that her head was now in the crook of Itachi's neck, she whispered softly in his ear, muttering something both incoherent and surprising, but Itachi simply nodded his head in response, before slowly letting sakura out of his embrace, straightened into an erect position, before sauntering quite quickly towards his ototo. _

* * *

_Sasuke was startled by Itachi's sudden movement, and even more so when he stopped, just inches away from him. What caught everyone by surprise was the fact that Itachi bent forward, only to scoop his brother up so that he was sitting on the fold of Itachi's left arm, which was bent underneath his little brother's legs, his other arm winding itself around Sasuke's head, pulling him forwards so that their foreheads were pressed tightly together._

_ Sasuke blushed at the sudden contact, whereas their mother squealed in pure glee, their father, well... smiling quietly to himself, which went unnoticed by everyone except for the ever attentive Sakura, who then smiled to herself. "Ah! Oni-san..? What are you—" _

"_I'm... sorry... Sasuke..." Itachi whispered quietly, stunning him into silence._

"_I... didn't realise that... you weren't happy with me... hugging Sakura-san... If I had.... then maybe... you wouldn't feel the way you do towards her now..." Itachi continued morosely, the building guilt smothering his senses almost entirely. _

"_Ah! Itachi... I don't... I don't hate her... what made you think—?"_

"_Sakura-san notices more than you think, ototo. But I never thought __**jealousy**__ would be a problem with you; after all, you believe that showing 'no emotion' as rule twenty-five of the Shinobi rules of Conduct states is top priority." The stricken look of utter shame and embarrassment for letting his façade slip made Itachi chuckle heartily, Sasuke's stuttering and rambling only fuelling Itachi's entertainment further. _

_But not once did he let Sasuke escape from his arms, even as he pushed and thrashed around wildly; never did Itachi let Sasuke's feet touch the ground. _

* * *

_Sakura smiled to herself, and turned to leave, remembering what they had mentioned about her mother needing a much needed 'visit.' But what for, Sakura did not know; an invisible question mark was practically dancing around above her pink hair. _

_But unfortunately for her (or luckily, who knew?), Sasuke noticed her unannounced departure, and felt guilty, assuming she was leaving because of the way he had looked at her before. Tapping Itachi, he threw his arm out in the direction Sakura was creeping away to, and called out in his normal cheery demeanour, "Wait! Please wait a moment!" _

_Mikoto (Sasuke and Itachi's mother), Fugaku (Sasuke and Itachi's father), and Itachi had turned to notice the pink haired cherry blossom heading off towards the entrance/exit of the Uchiha Clan's compound, and began calling out after her as well. _

_Sakura turned on her heel to see them running towards her, and stopped daintily as they pulled to an abrupt halt just in front of her. After whispering something inaudible to Sakura, but clearly distinguishable to Itachi, as he smirked cheekily, he let Sasuke down onto the ground, where he proceeded to walk towards her. Sakura, not knowing what to do, let her instincts take over, which told her to back away, and she did, only to be stopped by a gentle, warm hand on her wrist. _

* * *

_Sasuke held her wrist carefully, afraid that he would break it if he weren't cautious with her, attempting to keep her calm and to stop her from walking away from him as he said what he believed was necessary to say. Stepping forward so that there was only a slight gap between them, he began to speak, softly, but with a kind, almost soothing edge to it._

_ "Thank you. Thank you for what you did before, even though I didn't deserve it; especially after the way I looked at you. I would like to apologise for my behaviour, and hope that from hereon, we can be friends. I am really sorry about before. Please forgive me." And with that, he did the unexpected; he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, softly. _

_Mikoto choked on her squeals, Itachi smiled warmly, and Fugaku... well, he had his own weird way of showing he cared; he simply turned on his heel, and walked towards the cherry blossom tree across from him, resting his back on it, folding his arms against his chest and looking away. See? He gave them space, privacy. Figures...._

* * *

_Sakura turned bright red, not used to __**any**__ boy kissing her __**anywhere**__, particularly one that was as gorgeous as the one before her, but couldn't help but smile her most adorable, people-winning smiles, which invoked a similar reaction in Sasuke; he blushed a deep shade of red, butterflies knotting in his stomach as he took in this pink haired girl's smile. _

_It made him feel like a pool of heat was flooding over him, warming him from head to toe, making him feel fuzzy and slightly disorientated, but all in all, an extremely pleasant sensation. Clearing his throat, he spoke again, a genuine, jaw-dropping smile gracing his lips. _

_"Well, my name is Sasuke Uchiha. This is Itachi, my oni-san," Sasuke gestured towards his brother, whom smiled and raised a hand in acknowledgement, "And I am Sasuke and Itachi's mother, Mikoto!" Mikoto cut in, causing Sasuke to look at Itachi blankly, Itachi chuckling once more from the look on his ototo's face._

_ "Mom!" Sasuke whined, looking at his mother like she had just told him he couldn't hang out with Itachi anymore, and Mikoto burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles, lifting a hand to her lips in an attempt to stop them. _

_"Oh, alright, Sasu-chan! But before I let you take over; Sakura-chan, that man standing by the cherry blossom tree? Yes, well that is Sasuke and Itachi's father, Fugaku. Sweetie! Why don't you introduce yourself to Saku-chan?" _

_Sakura and Sasuke both blushed at their new nicknames; why was this woman so fickle when it came to pet names? Seriously, it changed weekly for Itachi and Sasuke; at one point Sasuke was called "Sakelala-chan!" There was a time where even __**Itachi**__ was calling him by that name, but it immediately stopped when Sasuke retorted "Ha! At least I'm not called 'Itata-ponchi chan!'" Sasuke lightly chuckled to himself at the memory. _

_Sakura smiled shyly at the approaching figure, who smiled back, albeit rather awkwardly, kneeling down to meet her at eye level. "It's nice to meet you, Sakura-san. You really do suit your name; you are the living embodiment of a cherry blossom." Again, Sakura's cheeks were graced by the unwelcome company of a blush, but it went away almost as quickly when the man stood, eying off the newcomers' that were walking casually towards him. _

_Whispering some harsh comments into Fugaku's ear, he turned and said he had to leave on immediate police business, which was elaborated on by Sasuke the minute Fugaku left. _

"_My father is the head of the Uchiha Clan, meaning that he is also Chief of the Village's Police Force. So he must have had some important task pop up..." Sasuke stated absently, a sad look tainting his angelic features, making Sakura worry unconditionally. _

_After all, Sasuke, along with Itachi and Mikoto, were her new friends. "Please don't look so sad; I'm sure your father will finish his business quickly and come home to you, of that I can be sure of! After all, he looks as if he really, truly adores both you and Itachi-kun." _

_This left a stunned silence, traces of disbelief colouring Sasuke's features momentarily, but long enough for Sakura to notice his doubts. "Please don't doubt it; what reason would I have in lying to you when it is the truth? Besides, what father doesn't love their child? I mean... I lost mine, but.... I know he loved me... so that alone is enough reason for you to continue to smile, be happy, and live life to the fullest!" _

_Sakura smiled once more, and the shock a sadness Sasuke felt for Sakura wore away quickly, replaced with a smile of his own. A faint ringing chimed, signalling the opening of the Village's weekly festival, and from there, the story tells itself; Mikoto took Itachi, Sasuke and Sakura to the fair, where they laughed, had dinner, talked, bought keepsakes, took photographs, and were soon joined by Fugaku himself. _

_To end the day, Itachi was begged by Sasuke to buy him and Sakura both an ice cream (even though Sasuke isn't exactly fond of sweets, but he's a little boy; who wouldn't be?), to which he happily sighed, and wandered off with them, being tugged by the hem of his shirt's sleeve by an impatient, but contently ecstatic Sasuke; after all, he had just made a new friend who treated him like no one else had before in his lifetime. Sakura skipped alongside them, laughing like there would be no tomorrow, a feeling of glowing happiness settling in the pit of her stomach; now she had a true group of friends who could help her get through life with a smile. Not that she needed much help with that._

_And from the shadows lurked a figure that could only later be conjured up in the worst of tales and the imaginations and nightmares of young children alike; he watched the young pink haired girl frolic around cheerily, oblivious to the impending danger; little did she realise she had just become the target of one of the most feared ninja in the history of all shinobi._

* * *

"_Sakura!" A grin stole the rest of Sakura's features as she turned and saw Sasuke and Itachi moving towards her, Itachi walking casually with a small smile, and Sasuke... wait, where did he—_

"_Kyaah!" Sakura cried out in surprise as Sasuke tackled her from behind, sneaking up on her for the fourth time that week. It had been a month since she had met Sasuke and his family, and was a frequent visitor to their estate, which mind you almost made her faint at the sight of it the first time she laid eyes on it; it was just so __**big**__! _

_Giggling lightly, she turned her head to see Sasuke, grinning both sheepishly and triumphantly at her, his arms wrapped tightly around her neck in what she supposed was a hug of sorts. "Sasuke-kun! Don't do that; you scared me!" Sakura gasped between her laughter, Sasuke's hands wandering to her stomach and tickling her absently._

_ Itachi had at this point stopped in front of the pair, smiling fondly, until he caught sight of someone he was not happy to see in the slightest. Moving forward, he pulled both Sakura and Sasuke into his arms, against his warm, muscular chest, which was tense as he glared at the person walking straight towards him. Sakura attempted to turn her head to see who it was, but Itachi only pulled her closer, his movements stiff and unresponsive as the person in question came to a halt, just in front of them. _

"_Aw, come now Itachi. That isn't a very polite way to address your seniors'." A man with a silky, suave voice chuckled, apparently amused by Itachi's display of affection and over-protectiveness. "I never uttered a word to the likes of you." Itachi spat angrily, as if the man's voice alone irritated him to no ends, to which the man simply shrugged, replying without missing a beat, "You did now." _

_Apparently quite pleased with his retort, the man once again chuckled lightly, the sound reverberating off of his chest, projecting the noise even more. If Sakura thought that Itachi could get no stiffer, she was sadly mistaken; it seemed as if he had turned into an immovable statue within the past ten seconds. "Itachi-kun—"_

"_Not now Sakura." Itachi interjected coldly, causing Sakura to stiffen involuntarily; never had Itachi ever spoken to anyone in that tone before. It seemed to have surprised Sasuke also, as he was now looking questioningly at his oni-san; Itachi simply ignored his ototo's stares and kept his cold, calculating eyes on the man that was only just out if their sight. "Well, now that was something I never expected of the Uchiha Clan's prodigy; being cold and blatantly rude to a woman, let alone a young girl. That's a bit out of character, wouldn't you say, __**Genius-sama**__?" The man taunted, apparently unconcerned about the anger that was brewing inside Itachi this very second. _

_Sakura suddenly felt very defensive, taking the blow personally, and acted without thinking; breaking Itachi's grip, she spun on her heel and growled at the man whom had dared degrade the young man she thought of as an older brother._

"_Don't you __**dare**__ talk to Itachi-kun that way! He is kind, caring, loving, and considerate; all the things __**you'll**__**never**__**be**__ and __**more**__! So don't think you can degrade him just because you are lacking __**everything**__ that Itachi-kun already has!" _

_The man stood in stunned silence, whilst Itachi looked completely taken aback; he had not expected anyone to stand up for him, especially in front of __**that man**__, but even more so to find that it was shy, conservative, thoughtful little Sakura who stood up for him in his moment of mild anger (the anger that had been building was no where __**near**__ as bad as Itachi could get). _

_Smiling warmly once more, he pulled Sakura backwards into an awkward half hug (it was hard, seeing as he was using the other one to restrain Sasuke, and since Sakura wasn't exactly facing him), kissing her softly on the top of her head, bringing a soft colouration that matched her pink hair to Sakura's cheeks. Sasuke smiled too, attempting to hug her as well, but only managed to rest his hand on her forearm, which caused her to blush an even deeper shade; physical contact with __**one**__ brother was hard enough, but __**both**__?_

_ A deriding laugh sounded, causing Itachi to regain his former composure, only this time he pulled Sasuke and Sakura into his chest lovingly, firmly yes, but still lovingly never the less._

_ Looking up, Sasuke and Sakura took in the appearance of the man; yes, he was startlingly young, and quite attractive (nothing on the men of the Uchiha Clan), with a unique hair shade; it was close to black, but when the light shone on it, it was actually an extremely dark shade of green, falling just past his chin, a side-fringe covering his right eye (touching the area just above the jaw), bangs styled messily over the entire left side of his face, spiked up in slight disarray at the back (suiting him very well), complimenting his deep, indigo eyes, which shone brightly with what seemed to be thorough amusement. He had high, aristocratic cheekbones, making his face slightly angular, but nothing was out of place; his pale shade of skin would have been his downfall had he had midnight black hair, but because it was dark green, it actually made him more stunning to the eye. _

_He was an enigma, with looks to match; and judging from his profile and stature, Sakura concluded that what was underneath those clothes was also a work of art that any woman would kill for a chance to see it. The man looked to Sakura in profound smugness, before speaking once again, painfully polite as he had been before, but there was a trace of something else... something that Sakura could not make out._

_ "Well, it seems you have a suitor, Itachi. Your little girlfriend there seems to have a good sense of justice, and quite the temper. You better keep a better rein on her, otherwise.... well, I'll leave that to your imagination; let it dictate to whatever it wishes." With one last heated stare at Sakura, the man turned on his heel, and swept off in the opposite direction, swooning women both young and old stopping to get a better look. The silence that consumed the trio seemed to last for a lifetime, before Itachi spoke quietly, directing his statement directly and bluntly towards the pink haired rosette. _

_"Sakura... if you ever, __**ever**__ run into that man, at any time, __**run**__; run back to the main house and get help, find Sasuke, or better yet find me." Sakura nodded blankly, confused by Itachi's sudden mood swing, but listened to him to the very end. "I warn you now; __**he**__ is __**not**__ someone you want to be caught __**alone**__ with, especially since he has taken quite an... __**interest**__ in you. Avoid him at all costs, alright?" _

_Again Sakura nodded, although with more feeling, and Itachi sighed, suddenly looking several years older than he actually was; he looked like a responsible adult of eighteen, rather than the twelve year old he was. And with that, he took Sasuke and Sakura by the hand, and walked with them towards the park._

* * *

"_Huff, huff, huff!" The young rosette ran, hard and fast, hoping to evade the monster that now pursued her, panting heavily, sweat pouring down her cheeks and burning its' way down her throat, like a fire had started when exposed to too much heat and dry grass. Oh Kami, he was gonna get her for sure...!_

_The sound of twigs snapping and leaves crunching under her swollen, cut bare feet was the only other audible sound, aside from the silent approach of the man Itachi had warned her to avoid. Well, it wasn't her fault; she had __**tried**__, really she had, but that didn't seem to be enough on all accounts; he had __**still**__ managed to catch her alone, in the middle of the night of all times. _

_Her mother was away for a "seminar/conference" which Sakura knew was a complete lie; Amai was probably slinking around fucking anything with a penis. Yes, Sakura wasn't an oblivious idiot that was being kept in the dark anymore; ever since Mikoto oka-san had come around with Fugaku-sama, Itachi and Sasuke-kun to tell her of something Sakura had no idea about, she had been disappearing in the evenings, either returning late, or not at all; and whenever she did come home, it was always with another man; the walls are very thin you know. _

_Most times, Sakura found comfort in her father's picture, but the minute the noises started, all it did was help aid in her crying herself to sleep; the concept of her mother sleeping with a man that was not her father made her sick to the pit of her stomach. _

_The rumours that had spread around the Village had even Sakura convinced; her mother was a common whore, a slut fucking other women's husbands for the sheer pleasure of it. And Kami, did Sakura __**hate**__ her for it; for betraying the man she had once loved, for betraying the trust of the friends whom had stayed by her side, oblivious to the fact that at that very moment, she was screwing their husbands'/lovers'/boyfriends' excessively. _

_Over and over again. And worst of all, for betraying the trust that Sakura had so faithfully built with her mother over the years, since the day she was brought into this world; and that was beyond unforgivable to the rosette, even as she pounded through the lush rainforest, heading down the shortcut that Itachi had shown her and told her to memorise in case of any... __**problems**__. _

_A crack of moonlight appeared up ahead, which only fuelled Sakura's resolve, forcing her to release every ounce of stamina she had into her legs, pumping them forward towards the Uchiha compound. _

_Crashing through the thick foliage, she then proceeded in bolting towards the Uchiha manor, which was only three blocks ahead; any distance felt like an eternity for young Sakura though, and that was proven as she began to become relatively sluggish, her movements slowing indefinitely. _

_If she didn't pick up the pace, and pronto, __**that man**__ would inevitably seize the opportunity and kidnap her, doing many unspeakable things along the way. Her pants were choked out now, the air suddenly not enough to feed her burning lungs, and her vision started to blur, until, that is, she collided with an all too familiar figure, and one that she would much rather never have to face again. _

_'Shaora...!' Sakura screamed internally, as the man in question hauled her upwards, throwing her none too gently over his shoulder, turning and moving towards his post. Throwing her hard against the wall opposite him, he then proceeded in hitting her repeatedly; her cries and screams muffled by the approach of __**that man**__. _

_This went unobserved by Shaora though, as he started to holler angrily at the beaten, bruised, broken rosette, still hitting her ruthlessly, "What the fuck do you think you're doing here?! Just 'cause you have special permission to be on this turf does not mean that you can waltz in here at this time of the night!" _

_He matched the screams of his anger with the pounding blows he dealt the girl, and just as she was about to pass out, the man whom had been pursuing her placed a firm hand of restraint on Shaora's shoulder._

"_That is far enough Shaora; I need that girl __**alive**__, and from the damage you have dealt her, it seems she may actually __**die**__ before I get the chance to fulfil my ultimate goal. And if she dies, __**you**__ will be the one to take the consequences; and believe me, the punishment is __**severe**__." _

_Shaora paled to a shade that rivalled that of the one he had shown over a month ago, when confronted by Itachi-kun. Sakura let out a tiny whimper of pain as she summoned up the strength to call on her surrogate oni-san, whom was only around the corner from where she was lying this very instant._

_ "ITACHI-KUN! HELP ME! THE BAD MAN AND HIS CRONIE HAVE ME CORNERED! ITACHI-KUN!" Although her voice was cracked, wavering, it still carried throughout the deathly silent compound, echoing off of all of the buildings surrounding. _

_Lights instantly flickered on, shouts of profound confusion and anger for the disturbance reverberating off of Sakura's ear drums, but what really caught her attention was the look in __**that man's**__ eyes; bloodcurdling rage. He looked as if he were about to explode in his anger, and just as Shaora approached, hand raised into a tight fist, a flash of cool metal breezed past, lodging itself firmly in Shaora's upper arm, invoking a strangled scream from the man. _

_Sakura had already scrambled to her feet and had taken off in the direction that the kunai had come from, finding that several members of the Uchiha Clan had already gathered outside, looking baffled by the sight of Shaora screaming curses and profanities at the top of his lungs, ripping out the weapon and snapping it in two. _

_When they finally noticed Sakura, it was too little too late. "DIE you little BITCH!" Shaora hollered, swinging the massive sword that had been only moments beforehand slung casually over his shoulder at the defenceless rosette. _

"_Aiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeearrrgh!"_

_SPURT, SPLUTTER, DRIP... DRIP..._

* * *

_Sakura's eyes were wide in fright, tears forming as she gawked at the figure in front of her. 'N-no... It can't... be...'_

"_SASUKE-KUN!" _

_Sasuke stood there, head bowed to the ground bangs shadowing his features as he stood there, his back to her, one hand resting protectively on Sakura's left forearm, the other, his right, clamped over the blades edge, the sword's blade buried deep in the palm of his hand, blood pouring over and off of his wrist, his knuckles, plopping soundlessly to the ground, soiling it a crimson red. _

_There was what appeared to be a dangerous split between Sasuke's middle and ring finger, as the blade fit snugly between the two fingers, carving into the flesh of his palm like a butchers knife to a piece of meat. Sakura couldn't see, couldn't think; the sight of Sasuke's blood spilling over his delicate skin made her feel ill, the waves of tears slowly building to an epidemic. _

_The Uchiha that had gathered screamed out in horror, pure rage, as they came at Shaora, who was smirking evilly at the sight of the young Uchiha boy's blood. _

_Sasuke remained still, immovable, as the others' charged, weapons and fists poised for attack; many more lights had turned on, and soon the majority of the Clan were in the clearing, attacking Shaora viciously, whom was standing calmly, the look of cocky superiority staining his features for only a few moments, until the Head of the Clan appeared on the scene; Fugaku. _

_And was he pissed beyond all hell; seeing his youngest injured was enough to make him want to kill the man responsible over and over again. Whether he showed it or not, he adored Sasuke; he was the light in Fugaku's dismal existence. _

_Yes, Itachi he loved just as much, along with his beloved wife, but Sasuke was... __**special**__. There were no words that could be formed that said it all; how much Sasuke meant to him, how talented and splendid a son he was, and what a magnificent shinobi he would one day make. _

_All of that and more could never be expressed with words, nor actions, so Fugaku just... didn't show it. Didn't show his precious son how much he loved him, how proud he was of him. None of it. Instead, he spoke of him behind his back, to Mikoto, and even to Itachi, whom also regaled stories of Sasuke and his progress; even the hidden affection and pride he felt for his father, which was a real eye opener to Fugaku. _

_The guilt from that day onwards had accumulated, and now, seeing his son bleeding and indifferent, was enough to let all of his turbulent emotions out; he stalked dangerously towards the now cowering man, whom was at this minute yanking his sword from Sasuke's grasp, making the blood splatter all over Sakura, her face, her hands, everywhere. _

_Fugaku allowed himself a moments respite to take in Sakura's bloody form; bruises, cuts, broken bones from the looks of things... she was no better off than his son, which only caused the Head of the Uchiha Clan to be blinded by rage. He moved with such intense speed, to the likes of which no one had ever witnessed from him before, reappearing behind the overweight man known as Shaora._

_ Bringing his fist backwards, he let it spring forward, slamming Shaora in the back of the head, a loud __**'CRACK!'**__ audible, throwing him forwards ever so slightly, but before he could collide with the two trembling bodies ahead, Fugaku bent down, grasping the man's ankle and hauling him up towards the sky, spinning in a circular motion twice before letting go, sending him flying fiercely into the brick wall forty feet away, the impact sending Shaora __**through**__ it, rather than just __**against**__ it. _

_The wall crumbled with a loud crash, the rubble and debris gathering on top of Shaora, the loud groan signalling that he was indeed still alive; this only seemed to please the Clan's Head in a sinfully sadistic sort of way. Stalking forward, Fugaku vanished, appearing atop the remains of the wall, directly above the whimpering blimp, lifting his fist once more, calmly this time, until he brought it down on the overweight prick; the minute his fist collided with the man's stomach, everything went silent. _

_There had been a loud shattering noise, the sound of breaking cartilage, followed by the rumbling and violent tremors of the ground, and then... silence. The crickets and cicadas had stopped chirping, the howls of the lone wolves quieted also; it matched the utter serenity of the Clan's members, whom were all slightly shocked, but expected as much from their leader; after all, what reason didn't he have to beat the crap out of the man who had hurt his baby cub?_

* * *

_ Mikoto had arrived in the nick of time, fast enough to catch the now unconscious Sakura, who could no longer stand due to her injuries. "Sasuke-chan! Oh, my baby!" Mikoto cried out as she tugged him towards her, tears brimming on the rims of her eyes as she looked at his wound. "Oka-san—"_

"_It must hurt like terrible; look, you're shaking!" Mikoto screeched in sheer terror and panic, willing all of this to be a horrid nightmare. Alas, it was anything but. _

* * *

_Fugaku had muttered "Now clean this mess up!" to the ANBU members that had arrived on the orders of the 3__rd__; there had been a disturbance reported by an anonymous villager who stated that it sounded quite bad, and was happening in the Uchiha compound, and naturally the old geezer __**had**__ to interfere. _

_Fugaku 'tched', before heading towards his son, wife, and the little cherry rosette, whom he now declared unconscious. Not that that really surprised him; not with the way she looked at the moment. Silently, Fugaku lifted his son into his arms, earning him various excuses that he could walk fine by himself, but they fell upon deaf ears; Fugaku __**would**__ carry his son whether he liked it or not. _

_It was his duty as his father to do so after all. Sasuke had remained stiff for a few seconds more, but found that this might be the only physical contact he would ever have with his father, so instantaneously relaxed into the half-hearted embrace._

_ Fugaku remained stoic on the outside, but was inwardly beaming with love, affection and pride; his son was only six, yet he __**still**__ put the safety of a close friend before his own, risking everything he had to protect her. That was what any __**true**__ shinobi would do for their comrades, and Sasuke had just proven himself worthy of that title; shinobi, a ninja revered in his own respect. _

_Sliding open the Uchiha estate's main door, Fugaku stepped in, slipping off his sandals, before he proceeded in walking up the stairs, carrying the limp Sasuke all the way to his room (Fugaku's room). _

_Placing him gingerly on the bed, he then moved to the telephone, picked it up, and dialled the number for Konohagakure's Hospital, all the while grabbing some cotton to staunch the bleeding between Sasuke's middle and ring finger's, wrapping his whole hand in thick bandages. _

_The dial tone was met, and Fugaku hung up in frustration, redialling and praying to Kami-sama that someone competent would pick the phone up this time around. That someone was Hana Fujina, female doctor and a woman whom had once been __**involved**__ with Fugaku; in fact, even now, married and all, she is __**still**__ chasing after him. Pathetic woman..._

_ But she was putty in the hands of the master. "Hello, this is Hana Fujina, female doctor of Konohagakure's Hospitalisation Facility. How may I help you at this hour?" She said it sourly, as if she wanted nothing more than to get out of the stuffy white building and out on the town; after all, being the party animal she is well renowned for has got it's disadvantages when you work in a hospital, particularly one that is on twenty-four hour call. _

_Fugaku smirked into the phone, as he stated bluntly, but with enough edge to sound malicious, impatient and seductive all at once, _

_"This is Fugaku Uchiha. I need someone to tend to both my son and his female friend; she was beaten quite extensively and is currently unconscious, and my youngest was involved in the incident, attaining serious injuries to his right hand. I need a competent doctor immediately. Can you do that for me, __**Ha-na**__?" Immediately he heard the clutter of things being dropped, and the shuffling of papers. "A-ah! Fu-Fugaku-sama!" _

'_-Sama?' That was a first. Normally it's 'Fugaku-kun!', 'Gaku-san' or 'Fu-chan!' But whatever. She was probably in the company of her nurse friends most likely. That was made evident when there were distinct giggles at Hana's sudden attitude change. If only they knew what the two of them used to do when they were alone..._

_ "Uh... yes! I can send Suzumiya-sensei and Hirano-san immediately. Can you please give me some background information on the types of wounds we are looking at treating; I need to assess whether or not I need to send a medic-nin. U-Uchiha-sama?" Fugaku had turned to see Mikoto walk in with Sakura in her arms, a deathly pale look to the young rosette's frame, her lips turning a pale shade of blue. Uh-oh, this wasn't good. _

"_Send me a medic-nin NOW! The girl is going into cardiac arrest." Hana instantly sprung into doctor mode. "Chi, send for Suzumiya-sensei and Hirano-san on the double; have them make their way to the Uchiha estate, pronto! Shimizu, alert the 3__rd__ Hokage of what has happened; he will want to look into it further. Dismissed!"_

"_HAI!" Chi and Shimizu, her friends and colleagues took off in opposite directions, one headed for the 3__rd__, the other to inform the doctors of the situation. Hana straightened up, smoothing down her nurses' uniform (wears it to fit in with her friends, and also to leave nothing about her to the imagination), before picking up the phone once more. "Er... Fu-chan...?" _

'_Oh Kami-sama, here we go again...' Fugaku thought in exasperation, sweatdropping slightly as he remembered that that meant only one thing; she was going to attempt to make a move on him; over the __**phone**__ no less. _

_"Yes, Fujina-san?" He replied professionally, worried about his wife's reaction if he were to have called her by her actual name; Mikoto was aware of their previous relationship before she became romantically involved with him (believe it or not, he was quite the charmer/ladies' man when he was younger), and although she had accepted it as the past and had moved on, she was still touchy about that subject; whenever Fugaku had a medical examination, Mikoto made sure he wasn't assigned to Hana at all costs. _

"_Er, t-the doctors h-have been informed and w-will be there m-momentarily. R-rest assured, t-they are t-the b-best of t-the best." Hana stuttered anxiously, worried that Fugaku would snap at her; after all, she had seen the way he looked at his sons'; that look of love, affection and adoration was clearly there, as all fathers' should have, and imagining the worry and anger he felt over seeing his son injured brought shivers down her spine. _

_"Thank you, Hana. For your assistance. It is much appreciated by my wife and I." Fugaku replied quietly, politely, smirking as he vividly imagined Hana cringing at the reminder that he was a __**married man**__. As he thought, and correctly assumed, Hana cringed, the mental picture of him standing with another woman eating away at her heart. Yes, him having children was understandable; he needed an heir to the Uchiha name, and so he had two gorgeous sons, but a __**wife**__?! _

_He could have a fucking __**concubine**__ for all Hana cared, as long as she was in there too, but a wife? Why would he marry anybody, particularly __**that**__ woman?! Mikoto Uchiha, not a thoroughbred woman like everyone else, a former poor slave that he saved from poverty and invited into his home to look after things; after all, he was alone._

_ Aside from his other many servants, he had no one; his parents had abandoned him at a young age, killing themselves because they wanted to escape the Uchiha's confines, knowing full well that they were leaving their son behind to fend for himself. _

_Mikoto had taken good care of him, was always there supporting him, along with his other friends, in general Miyano Haruno, Minato Namikaze, Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, Kushina Uzumaki and Amai Saraga (soon to be Haruno). Eventually, he had dumped Hana and gotten himself engaged to the supposed 'virgin' Mikoto, who then, several months after being married to him, conceived his first child, Itachi. _

'_A common whore...' Hana thought icily as she reminisced on their break-up._

* * *

_Flashback_

"_It's over, Hana." The woman in question let her topaz eyes widen, as they looked up from the sweat-soaked sheets to meet the onyx eyes of her 'lover.' He had just pulled on his pants, lifting his shirt over his muscular chest as he sauntered casually to the door, leaving her mouth agape from the sudden realisation that he meant their 'fuck buddy' relationship was over._

_ Fugaku had always seen her as a convenient means to burn off time, a way for him to vent freely, without any emotions in place; that would only confuse things, for the both of them. And that was how it had been, for a while at least; that is, until, Hana fell in the love with the man. _

_No, he didn't take her virginity; that had been __**long**__ gone before he came along, but a female heart is still a typical rendering, no matter how much they try to deny that. Hana loved this man and it felt like she had just had her heart torn out and ripped to shreds before her very eyes. "W-what are talking about, Fugaku? I thought that we were—"_

"_We were never __**anything**__; I thought I told you that before we got involved like __**this**__." Fugaku spat coldly, causing the auburn haired woman to flinch delicately, her pale, sweat-coated body trembling slightly, causing her bare breasts to quiver in discomfort. Her heart was in her throat as she asked the next question. _

"_W-why? I-is there... someone else?" _

_There was a prolonged, awkward silence, until Fugaku disclosed the question and their relationship with a single sentence. "Yes, there is. I am engaged to be married; she is to be the bearer and mother of my future heir." And with that, he swooped out of the door, slamming it shut; leaving Hana to her own misery, the only way to show how much she had once loved him was through shedding her accumulating tears, and by cutting off her hair, to which he had once said was beautiful at it's long length. _

_It was her only memory of the time they had spent together, aside from his touch, and as much as she wanted to keep it, she could not bear the thought of going through life leaving her hair the length it was; the length it had been when he had first taken her to his bed._

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"_-ana... Hana!" Fugaku's sharp, commanding voice broke her from her reverie, and once again she was facing reality; harsh, painful, bittersweet reality. "Uh... uh... Fu...ga...ku...-sama... is something the matter...? Did Suzumiya-sensei... and _

_Hirano-san... make it on time...?" Hana replied quietly, absently, as the pain of her past resurfaced once again. "Yes, they did. But anyway, Hana, are you alright? You weren't replying to anything I was saying. Is there something the matter; are you alright?" _

_Fugaku let his concern out freely, seeing as it was the least he could do to atone for the sins he had committed in the past; he had used this strong, independent woman to drive away his frustrations, and then simply broke it off with her without even the slightest bit of compassion or remorse; the least he could have done was apologise for hurting her. _

_After all, he knew full well how she had felt about him at the time, and abused those feelings without the slightest trace of mercy, nor caring. It was wrong, and she deserved better than that. _

_Swallowing his pride, Fugaku, whom had stepped out of the room whilst Hirano looked over Sasuke's hand (Suzumiya was tending to Sakura, seeing as she was a woman, and Hirano was not), Fugaku let the words he thought he would never say (with any meaning anyway) out, speaking quietly, but loud enough for Hana to hear, _

_"I am so sorry for what I did to you all those years ago Hana. It was selfish of me, and I was a complete bastard towards you; I abused your trust, your body, and worst of all your emotions and that is something you did not deserve, not now, and especially not then. At the time, I hadn't the faintest idea how to handle the situation; I was young, arrogant, egotistical and oblivious, so I assumed that breaking it off the way I did was the smartest way to go. I see now that that was indeed the wrong thing on my part, and I can never apologise enough for it. I hurt you in ways I can never imagine, nor understand, and if it turns out that you must hate me for my unforgivable sin, then that is fine with me. Just please do not hate Mikoto for it; I chose her for many reasons that even she can't explain, but the one thing that mainly counted was the fact that I was in love with her. And again, I apologise that your feelings could not be reciprocated on my part; I really wish they had been. You are a beautiful woman with much to do in your life, and I wish you all the success in your future; both career wise and in love."_

_Hana had been listening intently, and couldn't help the stray tear that slid down her cheek; she had been waiting for twelve long years to hear those words, that apology, from those lips; the lips of the man she had repeatedly kissed, the lips of the man that had ventured to every inch of her body excessively, the lips of the man that she had once loved. _

_What she had now was infatuation, obsessive cravings to make the man hers and hers alone; it was not love. "Thank you for loving me, Hana." Fugaku said gently, looking at the ground, a soft smile playing at his lips, which he allowed to be seen, even if it was just by the wooden planks on which he stood. Hana let out a strangled sob, before murmuring softly, "Thank you.... thank you so much... Fugaku... for everything..." _

_And with that, Hana let the phone slide to it's traditional spot on it's receiver, leaving Fugaku hearing the dial tone in place of her warm, confident voice. With a sigh, Fugaku pressed the 'end call' button, and quietly creeped back into the room, unbeknownst to him that he was being watched by his wife, whom was, for the first time, shedding tears for the kind words that Fugaku had uttered, the smile that he let grace his lips, and for Hana; after everything she had endured over the years, it was only fitting that Mikoto shed some tears with her. _

* * *

_Sakura awoke the next morning, sore and achy, but not as bad as she had initially felt the night before. Sitting up slowly, she took in her surroundings; a large room, with the Uchiha crest hanging solemnly on the wall directly in front of her; the monster bed she was currently inhabiting was positioned in the centre of the room, it's onyx, silk quilt hanging far over the edges, spilling carelessly onto the wooden planks of the floor._

_ The bed itself was made for at least ten people, with room to spare, the frame painted a luminescent, shiny, black; the bed frame then led up to the ceiling, a canopy falling over the top, more black silky material thrown over it, flowing down the sides of the frame, tied back so that it was easier for the inhabitant to clamber out of bed, rather than drawing them across on all sides, distorting the sleeper from view, and inevitably (in a dazed, tired state) become tangled and fall over within the curtains. _

_Yawning delicately, Sakura attempted to stretch, which earned her a whimper of protest; apparently her body was going to be sore for a few days, possibly weeks. Again, Sakura turned her attention to the rest of the room; there was a study desk across from her, in the left corner of the room, closer to the bedroom's door than anything else. _

_On it was some neatly stacked piles of paper, books, a jar of pens and pencils, a stapler, some sticky tape and glue, and a single picture frame; one of Sasuke and Itachi-kun, posing together by the lake just behind the compound; the same one Sakura had been running alongside of, prior to meeting them for the first time. _

_It was beautiful; Sasuke was sitting cross-legged in between Itachi's legs, one of which was raised up against Sasuke's left side, the other crossed in front of Sasuke's crossed ones. Itachi was hugging Sasuke from behind, his head buried in the crook of Sasuke's neck, whilst Sasuke had his right hand raised up, twisted so that he was touching the side of Itachi's face, his whole palm cupping Itachi's angelically handsome face. Sasuke's left hand rested on Itachi's, which were clasped tightly around his waist, squeezing lightly as both of the brothers' smiled stunning, __heart-wrenchingly beautiful, modest smiles; they looked so... __**innocent**__, like they had no care in the world, like all the needed was each other. _

_The background was also quite breathtaking; it had the reflection of the lake along Sasuke and Itachi-kun's left, whilst there were many beautiful, green trees overtaking the left, exotic flowers lining the trimmed, well looked after bushes. There was even a gorgeous cherry blossom tree that was no longer there anymore in amongst the front row of trees, making the picture more perfect, more magical. _

_The one thing that caught Sakura's attention the most was the look in Sasuke and Itachi's eyes; it was pure happiness, which shone through to the core, making the picture totally believable, __**real**__. _

_Unlike this picture though, Sakura had noticed some changes in both of the brothers' of late; they seemed... __**distant**__ from each other, and their parents', as if all the light had been sucked out of them, all of the happiness melted away and replaced with thick, ice barriers that could not be penetrated. _

_But so far, it was only small; something that Sakura could help melt away easily. Her eyes finished their scan of the room, there being a tall bookcase to the roof full of books of all sorts to her right, alongside the window of the room, which had been locked extensively, and had it's black silk curtains drawn over leaving the room almost completely dark, aside from the lamp that had been left on overnight on the bedside table (a/n: Sakura can see the picture because although the room is dark, the lamp provides enough light for her to see every item in the room). _

_Sakura crawled clumsily out of the huge bed, finding a stool for her to stand on to help her to the floor (a/n: this is Itachi's room, Sakura's assumption proven correct, and the stool is there because Sasuke normally climbs into bed with his brother, and cuddles him to sleep!), stepping soundlessly onto the wooden planks, and slowly crept towards the door._

_ Reaching up, standing on her toes, she reached for the doors slide-handle, cautiously sliding the door open and closing it behind her, making her way down the hallway of the all too familiar Uchiha estate. That's when it clicked; Sakura remembered the picture, and Sasuke's right hand cupping Itachi's face—_

'_Sasuke-kun's hand!' Sakura thought in horror, as she stumbled towards his room blindly, before crashing into the burly figure of none other than Fugaku, whom looked utterly exhausted, and none too thrilled with the prospect of someone crashing into him at this ungodly hour of the morning, it being five._

_ "Who the—Oh, Sakura-san. You're awake I see. How do you feel?" Fugaku knelt down, touching her forehead gingerly, causing the rosette to blush on contact. Fugaku let a small smile escape, as he chuckled in exhaustion, speaking quietly, as if not to wake everyone else up, "You really are easy to please; you blush like it's second nature, like you have no control over it, which I suppose is true in any case. Let me assume you are heading off to see Sasuke, hm?" _

_Sakura nodded avidly, causing Fugaku to unexpectedly smile a genuine smile, laughing hoarsely at her enthusiasm. "Hahahahahahaha! Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you see him; I am afraid you will not be able to speak with him until he is awake; he's out of commission for the time being. Groggy from the pain killers the medic-nin gave him, but don't you worry; they managed to heal all of the damage that that blasted sword did to his hand, so he should be up and running within the next month or so." _

_Picking up the dazed girl, he walked calmly, carefully, towards a room that Sakura had never ventured near, seeing as it __**was**__ the Head of the Uchiha Clan's bedroom after all (Sasuke and Itachi had warned her not to go in there, and so she never did). _

_Quietly, he slid open the door and walked in, and Sakura was shocked at what she saw; not only was Sasuke in the bed, but so was Itachi, who had his arms around his ototo, breathing heavily, in a deep sleep from the looks of things. Itachi also had dark rings forming underneath his eyes and Sakura wondered what could have caused it; he hadn't been home when the fight had happened, that was for sure. _

_Seeing as he was a chunin though, he was probably on a mission at the time, so Sakura assumed. Sasuke groaned lightly in his sleep, one that Sakura mistook for one of pain. 'Sasuke-kun!' The rosette thought in complete, over ridden panic, before tumbling clumsily out of Fugaku's arms and to the side of the bed Sasuke and Itachi were currently fast asleep in._

_ Gently and as quietly as she could, Sakura raised her left hand and pressed it lightly to Sasuke's forehead, brushing his bangs out of his eyes, only to discover that he looked so peaceful, at rest.... sort of like a __**real**__ angel. The sudden contact made Sasuke's cheeks flush a pale pink, the same colour as Sakura's hair, and he began muttering inaudible slurrings, to which Fugaku could hear and silently chuckled at. _

_Sakura looked at him in confusion, before turning her attention back to the sleeping brothers'. Without thinking, she clambered onto the bed, leant forward, and kissed both Itachi and Sasuke on the cheek, pink tinting her cheeks as she moved back to look at their faces; a look of contentment resided there; thankfully Sakura's display of affection went unhindered by either of the brothers'. _

_"Thank you... Sasuke-kun..." As it seemed like Sasuke was stirring, Sakura jumped in fright, fell to the floor with a loud 'THUMP!', but before either brother could wake, the young rosette was gone; out of the room, down the hallway, and back in the bed that she had been in previously._

* * *

_ Fugaku chuckled as he watched Itachi's eyes open calmly, as if he had been awake the whole time; and indeed he had been._

"_Oto-san. What was that all about? What was Sakura-chan doing awake at this hour?"_

"_I could ask the same of you. You need rest, Itachi; __**sleep**__, and we'll finish this discussion later." Fugaku replied sternly, before turning on his heel and moving towards the door. "Rest well, oto-san..." Itachi murmured, before letting sleep claim him. _

_"Rest well, my sons'..." Fugaku whispered softly, just as the door to his bedroom slid closed, Fugaku failing to catch the fleeting smile on Itachi's lips._

* * *

_Sakura could barely hide her utter embarrassment; she was almost caught in the act, by the two people that had come to mean the most to her in the world at that. But somehow she felt... __**proud**__ of herself, like she had just lifted a massive weight off of her shoulders._

_ She loved the two dearly, so in a sense, she wasn't as embarrassed as she had initially assumed, but that didn't change the fact that she had almost been caught! Whilst Sakura fretted over the obvious, Fugaku stepped into the room and sauntered casually up to the bed she was curled up on, lying on her side and knees pulled up to her chin, back to the Head of the Uchiha Clan. _

_"Sakura-san..." He whispered tauntingly in her ear, causing the rosette to jump in fright, rolling so that she now faced the man, whom was sitting on the very edge of the bed. "A-ah! Fu-Fugaku-sama!" Fugaku let a smile grace his lips; he got this sudden sense of... __**déjà vu**__.... all of a sudden (a/n: wink wink nudge nudge! XP), but it went away quickly as he spoke to the pink haired girl._

"_How about we go downstairs and I'll make us a cup of hot chocolate, hm?"_

_Sakura's eyes widened, before one of her breathtaking smiles broke out across the plains of her face, and she nodded vigorously once more, her excitement bubbling and oozing off of her. "Onegaishimasu!" Sakura cried out, causing a smirk to cross Fugaku's face; this girl really **was** easy to please._

* * *

_Sitting in Fugaku's study, Sakura looked over at him, and the accumulating workload sitting messily on his desk. Fugaku himself looked stressed and beaten by exhaustion, and was slightly worried that the paperwork would not be completed on time, which happened to be that afternoon when he went for the debriefing on Shaora's sentence. _

_Since the 3__rd__ intervened, many things had happened; Shaora had been locked away in the ANBU prison, where he was being tortured for information; he apparently was an illegal immigrant in the Village, a wanted S-rank shinobi whom had put on all of that weight as a way to obscure his appearance._

_ Which would have worked, had he not encountered several of the ANBU members years earlier when he was slimmer, who immediately recognised his chakra signal, as well as his fighting style._

_ From there, everything unfolded to the present time; Fugaku slouched tensely in his armchair, waiting for the inevitable bomb to be dropped on him. Sakura could not have this, so placing her mug on the coffee table aside her, she made her way cautiously toward the highly stressed Leader of the Uchiha Clan, making sure to tread lightly. _

"_Uh... Fugaku-sama...? Are you alright?" Fugaku looked up and stared quizzically at the young rosette, whom was also looking back at him, but with determination glowing in her emerald orbs. "Yes, Sakura-san?" He answered wearily, not really paying attention to what she was saying, until she dropped her own sort of bombshell._

"_Would you like some help sorting out your paperwork? I-I mean, n-not that you can't by y-yourself, i-it's just that—" Sakura rambled on and on, and the only way the Uchiha could think of to possibly shut the girl up was to say yes. And so that he did. "Hai, that would be very helpful. Arigato gozaimasu, Sakura-san." _

_Sakura looked stunned, but immediately dropped the expression, nodded curtly, and sat down in the chair across from him. Splitting the pile in half and handing it to Sakura, Fugaku looked at her in slight disdain. 'She is a child of __**six**__... she probably has messy handwriting, and wouldn't understand a single equation in there... I will have to go over them later—'_

"_Ah! Integrated Complex Mathematical Equations! I haven't done any of these for a long time!" (a/n: I made up the thingy above; who really cares about maths anyways?!) Sakura exclaimed in excitement, grinning from ear to ear as she picked up the pencil Fugaku had given to her and scrawled in neat characters the answers to each and every question, all of them correct. _

_Fugaku looked stunned as he watched her move through the stack of paper with ease, never faltering, smiling the whole time. By the end of the session, it was well past eight-thirty in the morning, and all of the work had been completed and double checked in case if any errors, all made by Fugaku of all people._

_ Sighing in relief, Fugaku once again thanked Sakura for her assistance. "Arigato gozaimasu, Sakura-san. With your help, I managed to complete all of my extra assignments; you really are a very intelligent young lady, ne?" Sakura blushed at his compliment, fiddling with the hem of her shirt before a very refreshed looking Mikoto threw open the sliding door that lead into her husband's study, smiling cheerily as she stepped in._

_ "You're awake already, honey?! Oh, Sakura-chan, are you alright, sweetheart?! Do you hurt anywhere?!" Rushing forward, she clasped the girls hands in hers, kissing her all over the place; her forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, eyelids. It was obvious that she was in mother-mode now. "U-uh, yes, _

_Miko-chan..?" Sakura said hesitantly, wondering whether or not it was okay to call the wife of the Head of the Uchiha Clan by a kawaii nickname of sorts. Everything remained awkwardly silent for about five seconds, before Mikoto let a huge grin grace her lips, scooping the girl into her arms, lifting her into the air, and spinning her around in a circle. _

_"You gave me a nickname! I love it, I love it, I love it! Arigato, Saku-chan, arigato!" Sakura blushed again at the use of her nickname, before she noticed a pair of familiar figures standing across the hall, backs pressed against the wall, one of them leaning into the other lovingly. _

_"SASUKE-KUN! ITACHI-KUN!" Sakura squealed, causing Fugaku to bring his fingers to his ears, sticking one in to clear the ringing, whilst Mikoto turned, still holding the now struggling Sakura above her head. "Oh, my babies are finally awake! Sasu-chan, Ita-chan!" _

_Putting Sakura down onto the ground, she then proceeded to head towards the two now grinning boys, whom were now revitalised after hearing Sakura's chirping voice ring out cheerily; over __**them**__ no less. Itachi let himself ponder back to when Sakura had kissed them both on the cheek; it was just the most adorable thing he had experienced from the rosette, and he loved every second of it. _

_Who would have thought she would have the guts to go through with it? Out of reflex, he opened his arms, just in time to receive the mother of all hugs, __**from**__ his mother. "Oh my babies; my boys'! If you ever do something so stupid again Sasuke," she only ever called him plain 'Sasuke' when she was angry and or upset with him, "Then I swear you will never see Sakura-chan again! And you will never be allowed to hang out with your aniki. Understood?" _

_Sasuke nodded nimbly, before turning to the now teary eyed Sakura; it was her fault after all that Sasuke had been dragged into and hurt in this mess._

"_S-Sas..uke..-kun... I..'m... sor....ry... so... sor...ry..."_

"_Ah! Sakura... it isn't—" Sasuke was cut off as Sakura continued ruthlessly._

"_It's all my fault! You were hurt because of __**me**__! I just __**had**__ to go against Itachi-kun's instructions; I just __**had**__ to be home alone when that man attacked, but I thought that I'd be alright, 'cause mommy said she'd be home before one, but it was already midnight, and __**he**__ was there and—" _

_Sakura cut off and began to choke on her tears, her body racked with painful sobs as she stared at the ground at her feet; she couldn't look him in the eye, not after what she had done. Sasuke had no clue as to what he should do, but after some encouragement from his oni-san, he stumbled forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his head in the crook of her neck, the tears that she had shed slipping off her cheeks and landing with a wet 'plop!' in Sasuke's raven, spiky hair. _

_"It isn't your fault! I stepped in because he was beating you so badly, and there was no way I was going to stand by and do nothing; I heard you calling my aniki's name, but since he was away on a mission, I came to see, and when I saw that fat blimp (a/n: referring to Shaora) attacking you, I just... acted on impulse. You are my friend, and you needed help, so I gave it to you! Happily, without any regrets! So don't cry, ne? Onegai? __**Sakura-chan**?" _

_Sakura sniffled softly, before clasping her hands into his shoulder blades, hugging him back with just as much force as he was applying. "Arigato... ARIGATO! Sasuke-kun...." He flushed a deep red, resembling his favourite food, the tomato, but he let her cling to him for a while longer, knowing that she may not be able to stand by herself until she got her wits together._

_ "Aww, so kawaii!" Mikoto exclaimed dramatically, wiping away a fake tear for the desired effect; Itachi and Fugaku both just rolled their eyes. 'She can be such a drama queen sometimes...' Itachi and his father thought at the same time, smirks evident as they watched Sakura unlatch herself from the young Uchiha fledgling. _

"_U-uh... Gomen, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura went a deep, crimson red, hoping that no one would notice their sudden change in behaviour (who wouldn't notice?), but it was the first thing to spring to mind for all spectators. But they pretended not to for their sake; they only had so much that that they could take in the embarrassment department, and the display that they had just shown off went far over the line as it was. _

_Mikoto cleared her throat, before announcing brightly, "Well, now it's time for breakfast! Everyone, let's head downstairs to the kitchen; after we have eaten, we will freshen up and go out to the midday festival, ne?" With an excited squeal from Sakura, and a beaming smile from Sasuke, they took that as a yes, and headed down the stairs to eat, as a family, including the young rosette._

* * *

_While Sasuke was busy taking a bath (Sakura had gone first with Mikoto [in a non-lesbian way; Sakura needed to be supervised at all times] to save time), Itachi wandered over to where Sakura stood alone, on the estate's porch, looking out at the storm clouds that were brewing. _

_"It looks like we may not get to go after all..." Sakura let out a disappointed sigh, discontent written all over her features, as Itachi rested a warm, encouraging hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Since when has a little storm ever gotten in the way of oka-san going out shopping, Sakura-chan?" Sakura spun around in surprise, not expecting Itachi's presence just yet. _

"_I-Itachi-kun! What are you—"_

"_I wanted to have a quiet word with you while Sasuke isn't around; to thank you for that __**'present'**__ you gave to the both of us earlier this morning, while we were still asleep. You do know what I am talking about, do you not?" Sakura flushed, apparently realising that she had indeed been caught in the act, by ITACHI of all the people in the world! He could tell Sasuke what she had done and then.... and then... he could end up hating her! _

_In her panic, she didn't realise Itachi leaning down, and placing a soft, chaste kiss to her left cheek, just as the rain began to fall, thunder and lightning rumbling in the far off distance. _

_"Arigato gozaimasu—no, __**arigato**__, Sakura. Arigato... for everything you have done for my ototo and I; we would have been lost without you. Arigato for coming to the Uchiha estate, arigato for finding us, and arigato for being alive; for being __**you**__. Arigato ne Sakura-chan, arigato ne..." _

_Itachi then proceeded in pulling her into a loving embrace, his smile lighting up the sombre rain-slicked surroundings, and for the first time in a long while, his smile touched his eyes, emblazing them with a warmth and fondness that could never truly be replicated, because Itachi believed that aside from his ototo (his whole life, the reason of his very existence), this girl was a true diamond in the rough, a beautiful cherry blossom, and he didn't care what other's thought, as long as he believed it, it was a truth; a purposeful reality that could never be outlived or outshined by another._

_ No... this truth was something he would never regret having in his life, not once. From that moment on, the truth of 'Sakura Haruno' was established, and never erased it's indent in Itachi's heart, even after Sakura had long since forgotten about them... about Sasuke, Itachi and Sakura; the destined family._

* * *

_Sasuke had just finished getting dressed when his father walked in, carefully closing the door behind him. "Unfortunately the trip to the festival has been cancelled; it is pelting down too much rain for the time being. Sumimasen, Sasuke; I know you were looking forward to it." _

_Sasuke looked at the ground with a sad smile, but let it brighten to a fake one, all the while keeping up his guise; he would __**not**__ show signs of weakness in front of his father. "Hai, oto-san. Arigato gozaimasu." Turning to move towards his dresser to change, a large, strong, __**warm**__ hand rested on Sasuke's shoulder, causing him to look back in confusion. _

"_Oto-san? Is there anything the matter?"_

"_No, nothing like that Sasuke. Just... I'm... I'm proud of you... for what you did for Sakura-san. That was something only the most splendid of shinobi do, always with regret, but you didn't think about that; you just did what you thought was right. For that, I... I couldn't be more proud to be your father." _

_Sasuke simply couldn't believe it. Never had his father __**acknowledged**__ him, let alone __**praise**__ and __**compliment**__ him; __**never**__. It was always __**Itachi**__; Itachi this, Itachi that. But now... it was all about __**him**__. _

"_Oto...-san..." _

_What Sasuke did next was purely out of reflex, want and __**desperate**__ need; he hugged his father. His __**father**__! _

_

* * *

_

_Fugaku was completely and utterly taken aback; he had not expected this reaction from Sasuke, not in the slightest, and quite frankly, he had __**no idea**__ what to do; he hadn't held Sasuke since was a newborn infant, so he found this awkward and foreign. _

_Hesitantly, he raised his arms and wrapped them firmly around his son's back, and soon all awkwardness was gone; it was the typical hug shared between a father and his son. With one last squeeze, Fugaku pulled back, brushing his son's bangs out of his eyes, before kneeling down and whispering in his ear, _

"_Hold on to Sakura-san; she is indeed a treasure worth keeping, and more so one worth fighting for. Remember that, Sasuke." Sasuke nodded in a daze, not quite understanding what his father meant by 'worth fighting __**for**__.' Yes, he was indeed naïve; but he would understand once he reached that age in life. Fugaku smiled, brushing his fingertips over Sasuke's face, before exiting the room, leaving Sasuke stupefied._

* * *

_When the rain had stopped, Mikoto had indeed kept her promise to take them to the festival, but because it had rained until well into the evening, they dined out for dinner, and went over their traditional routine, which of course incorporated Sakura, since she was the unofficial member of their family. _

_As they slowly walked her home, Sakura noticed in the faint, fuzzy yellow glow of the street lamps a rather familiar, overweight man, cloaked in the shadows of the trees across from them, and standing alongside him was an all too familiar figure; one that had sinister, glowing indigo eyes, almost resembling that of a basilisk, or even a demon. _

_With what little light Sakura had, she barely made out the outline of __**that man's**__ evil, contorted smile, and the way in which he slowly licked his lips, as if he saw something he wanted to devour whole, made Sakura shudder in terror. _

_Sakura had turned to tell Itachi, but when they looked back, the two figures were gone, vanished into thin air; little did anyone of them know that Sakura would re-encounter them, and not too far in the distant future. That was an unknown fact left to those there, whom had already made a u-turn, taking Sakura back to the Uchiha estate._

_ One thing was known for sure though; Sakura was no longer safe, whether it be at home, or with her mother anywhere else. She was no longer safe from __**that man**__, and as they quickened their pace towards the Uchiha manor, the wind picked up, slashing fiercely at Sakura's tender flesh, and with it was carried the sound of manic laughter, and a cry of undulated, strangled anger, echoing off of Konoha's walls, and remained long after all were asleep._

_End of Flashback_

* * *

The rosette was suddenly swamped with many emotions, leaving her stuck in her ephemeral state; confusion, shock, acceptance, remembrance.

She had once been acquainted with the Uchiha family, had been _friends_ with them; this was something Sakura could not remember ever happening, but the proof of it was in her memories of past days, sealed away from her access; locked away like it was some big secret that could not be told.

_Sasuke-kun... he was like __**that**__... back then....? To __**me**__...?_ Sakura thought in fervent disbelief, pondering on all of the solutions that could have lead her to this; she was either totally insane for imagining it, or it was a form of comforting solace; a guise protecting her from whatever _really_ stained her past.

Whatever it was, she was strangely thankful for it, because now she had a better understanding as to Sasuke's constant, never-ending battle, with the pain, the memories and most of all the battle with himself; the conflicting emotions spinning into chaos and turmoil had become something Sakura could relate to, understand; she had once known his family, gotten close to them, and the thought of having to lose them as well as the mother and father she no longer had was _beyond_ unbearable.

Now she could truly understand Sasuke's pain and suffering, even be it only a little.

Sakura allowed herself to be dragged out of her reverie by none other than the sound of fast approaching shinobi, thousands by the sound of it, and all extremely powerful and trained to follow strict orders; the type of ninja feared amongst others' of their kind.

The rosette turned in time to see Konoha's reinforcements, along with Suna's and Team Taka, getting into battle positions, weapons at the ready, some preparing special offense and defensive jutsu, just to get things kicked off properly; it was their only advantage at the moment. The saying 'survival of the fittest is assured by numbers' was an understatement; it just didn't do it justice.

The minute Sakura saw the massive army that had been called forth by Shaora, she instantly felt her mood plummet; there weren't _thousands_, there were _hundreds_ _of thousands_ of shinobi gathered to fight for what Shaora desired the most; Sakura herself.

With a strangled sigh, Sakura moved so that she was standing alongside Sasuke and Naruto, Kakashi backing up the rear; Team 7 (Kakashi) was back in business, and it was about to heat up dramatically. Putting aside their differences and feelings was one thing, but working together with the two people you loved the most whom coincidentally abandoned you?

Not an easy request, but one that was required, whether it be consensual or an order; as long as it was carried out, it didn't matter what personal inflictions they had for one another; 'A shinobi must carry out the mission until its' success.' Says said Shinobi Code of Conduct.

And so that is what they must and shall do; they will reform completely and take down their opposition; that was their mission. Or was it working together like a functional team should that was the real objective of this mission? A mission within a mission? Who knew; all that mattered was the impending fight that was about to begin.

Sakura had to agree with Shikamaru this time; this was gonna be one _hell_ of a drag.

* * *

**a/n: Haha! Finished! XP Cliff-hangers are fun! XD**

**I had initially planned to go farther in depth with this, but I figured that this was a good time to stop; raise the suspense! XP**

**Er, and I apologise for the lateness of this chapter; I have been preoccupied with many other things, you know, Christmas and the whole shebang! (Also work etc... never have enough time in the day... Be thankful for this chapter though; I have been pulling all nighters to get it finished since I have only had a little bit of spare time; conveniently the time I use to catch up on some much needed sleep!)**

**GOMEN!! *bows to the ground***

**Ah, and about the flashback; that will play an important part later (though I am not sure how ****yet****... XP), so please bear with me!! **

**Next chapter round, I will go into full detail about the incident with Naruto and Sakura two years prior, so fasten your seatbelts!! XP**

**Can I PLEASE get at least 15 reviews??? I feel as if my story isn't really liked by many (and I am sooooooooo happy I have my faithful reviewers; I love you guys!! 3), but I see that people are adding my story to their story alerts/favourites! TT^TT**

**Please, I only ask for 15; if not, I won't update again for another two or so weeks; that will give me time to work on my new stories (bear in mind that I haven't posted them yet! XD). Please review, even if it's only small! ^ ^ **

**Arigato gozaimasu!! XD HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2010 is finally here! XP (Ha, this chapter was 65 pages long... lol! Now you see how much I love you guys!! XP)**


	7. Chapter 6 TITLE INSIDE!

**a/n: Chapter six... this should be interesting!! XP**

**Disclaimer: It is official; Sasuke and I are married with his first child on the way; Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto-sensei, and it can stay that way; Naruto is god-honestly not my type! XP**

* * *

Chapter 6

Ain't war grand? The cloaked man's true identity

* * *

_CLANG, SPARK, SLASH!_ The sound of shinobi weapons clashing it out echoed off of the canyons walls, disturbing what peace that had been left; though there couldn't have been much in the first place, seeing as all hell had broken loose within the past few seconds.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Sakura had just been assigned her position as lead of attack squad one, which consisted of herself, Naruto, Sasuke and his Team, Kakashi-sensei and many sound and leaf shinobi of all rank. They had been flanked by the Kazekage himself, who was to use his ultimate sand jutsu as a powerful defensive mechanism, a means to protect the ones leading the gathered ninja to war; what was the point of starting up another war, no sooner had the previous one been dealt with? _

_That was the mystery that had no solution, just the problem itself that needed to be handled immediately, if the chances of success were to be ensured. So here they were, standing in formal rows of ten, awaiting the signal from Tsunade-sama herself; she had summoned Jiraiya immediately, but he was seemingly showing signs of tardiness from Sakura's perspective._

_ But her shishou had doubted this, and said that in situations of dire consequence, Jiraiya was always the first on the scene, and would push himself well over his limits to arrive before anything catastrophic occurred; Sakura had a hard time not believing her master's words, so she herself placed her faith and hope in the perverted toad sage, one of the three Legendary Sannin. _

_Orochimaru had been no where to be seen; rumours said that the last member of the Uchiha Clan had obliterated him, but other's say that the snake Sannin __**was**__ Sasuke himself; that he had already won control and successfully obtained his vessel. Sakura turned her head to see Sasuke staring indifferently into the distance, the red head slut with the glasses whining in his ear. No, that was __**definitely**__ Sasuke, hands down. _

_Smirking to herself, Sakura turned and looked ahead to where the figures of many shinobi were appearing, from over the humungous crater that had been formed after Sakura's leg had collided with the earth about an hour before. With one last anxious glance at her shishou, who was also looking at her intensely, the order was given, and squad one took off to meet their foes head on._

_End of flashback_

* * *

Sakura let her chakra fuelled fist collide with one of the shinobi's faces, sending him flying into the oncoming three behind him; she had to admit, the ninja of the Land of Howling Confusion were quite skilled, and extremely troublesome. No matter how many times you put them down, they always came back for more; the only solace you could take in this was the fact that once your opponent was dead, you didn't have to worry about them anymore.

Moving agilely so that she was now positioned alongside Team Taka, Sakura finally revealed her true colours; moving with such speed it had the enemies eyes rolling, she appeared in front of a ninja that had been a particular nuisance to take down (half of squad one were working in _him_ _alone_), raising her knee as she did so.

A loud _'CRACK!'_ signalled the breaking of the majority of his ribs, and whilst he coughed up a mouthful of blood, Sakura finished him off; the power she had focused into her right knee was strong enough to send the man flying upwards in the air, so all Sakura had to do was simply jump in the air, and deliver a devastating spin-kick to his gut.

The minute her left leg made contact with the Wolfsbane ninja, it was already over for him; Sakura's kick sent him flying into the cliff face opposite, the man tearing through it, leaving the mountainside split in two halves; the top half remained in the air for a single nanosecond before both the top and bottom section exploded into pieces of heavy rubble and boulders.

Sakura acted as quickly as she could from there on; moving from opponent to opponent, aiding all those who needed it. Just seconds after had taken care of a large group of enemy shinobi, a thunderous roar was heard, and Sakura needn't turn to know what it was; well, more accurately, _who_ it was. _**Naruto...**_

Spinning on her heel, Sakura took off in the opposite direction, towards the anguished cry of the nine-tailed bijūu, whom was gaining control over Naruto's body; the explosion of bubbly red chakra killed many ninja, luckily the enemy, completely obliterating the barren landscape they fought amongst.

"Raaarrrrgggghhhhgggkk!" A strangled cry escaped Naruto's throat, just as his skin began to peel away, revealing the muscle tendons underneath it, his fangs extending lethally, his once prominent, thick whiskers long gone with the skin that Naruto no longer had on his face.

Where three tails of concentrated red chakra had sprouted, a fourth formed, the chakra itself so powerful that it ripped whatever trees there had been left out of the ground from the very roots, the tree disintegrating into nothing but ashes that spread themselves over the wind.

_Shit!_ Sakura cussed mentally as she sprinted towards the area Naruto was currently inhabiting with his very presence, hoping she would make it in time; she didn't.

One last scream of agony was heard from Naruto before the bijūu took complete control of his body; the explosion that shook the area for thousands of miles was disastrous; the chakra that surrounded Naruto had condensed into a large ball of scarlet, and when it broke apart, the chakra exploded upwards, a black and crimson red twister touching the clouds and beyond, turning the sky an ominous vermillion.

What was revealed to everyone was a miniature nine-tailed fox, with pit-less, glowing white orbs, crimson-black in colouration; when it opened it's mouth to roar, all you saw was shiny white in it's depths, it's fangs sharp and deadly.

The four-tailed fox crouched low, ready for attack, reminding Sakura of her earlier encounter with this particular creature; the day Naruto lost all control on Tenchi Bridge and fought with Orochimaru in this exact form; the form that almost unintentionally killed her. The memory made Sakura shudder, a familiar ache running through her left arm; the place where this monster had wounded her those years before.

_Fuck! What do I do now?!_ Sakura cursed silently, a headache setting in from all of the ruckus around her. Almost instantly her rhetorical question was answered as if she had spoken it aloud; and indeed she had.

"Simple; we fight until we win." Sakura turned her head to be faced with none other than Sasuke, whom looked entirely serious with what he had just said. Looking at herself, before back at him, Sakura realised with sudden clarity that while she was dirty, sweaty, and ordained with cuts and bruises, Sasuke remained untouched, looking as healthy and fit as he had before all of this had happened.

Damn him and his perfection! Suddenly feeling a hot surge of anger, Sakura barked angrily, "Why the hell should _I_ work with _you_?! He's _your_ responsibility now, right?! Why the _fuck_ are you asking me to assist you in something that you can do in your _sleep_?! Besides, in the end, your pride and ego wouldn't hold out; you would _never_ accept _anyone's_ help, let alone _mine_, the annoying little _bitch_ of your past! So just _back_ _the_ _fuck_ _off_; _I'll_ handle this _myself_, _Uchiha_!"

And with that, Sakura stormed off towards the four-tailed mini beast, not noticing the smirk that graced the Uchiha's smooth, bloodied lips.

* * *

Gaara fought diligently, crushing every and all enemies that dared approach him; what distracted the Kazekage was the thunderous roar of none other than Naruto; Gaara didn't even have to see it happening to just know it was him. After all, he was a Jinchūriki himself, and what informed him of this was his instinct, _his_ bijūu.

'_**Heheheh! It seems our friend the nine-tails has lost control...'**_ Shukaku, the one-tailed beast sealed inside of Gaara commented dryly, his excitement plain as day. _'__**Hm, maybe we should join him eh, Gaara? Why not play 'possum' for a while? I can handle this myself.'**_

'_That will not happen, Shukaku, and you know it. I will not knowingly put my friends and allies at risk because you want to __**'play'**__ for a while. So stay back there, be quiet, and helpfully lend me your chakra so that at some other day and time, you can come out for a bit of a stretch.'_ Gaara remarked sarcastically, earning a disgruntled grunt from Shukaku. _**'Aww, Gaara, you are so cruel to me; you should learn to be more gracious and appreciative of what I give you; my chakra.'**_

'_Yes, but you should also learn more manners, be more __**courteous**__; after all, __**my**__ body is __**your**__ vessel, and __**I**__ keep you restrained. Pay better mind of that next time.'_

And with that, Gaara blocked out the sound of Shukaku's incessant whining, and focused on the battle ahead, raising his arms above his head, whilst watching the many enemy ninja that were ensnared in his inescapable sand trap squirm and scream in anger and surprise.

_'__**Sabakukyû**__; The coffin of crushing sand!'_ The sand had instantly tightened its' grip on the one's that were caught up in it, and as Gaara looked at them one last time, he said the next words out loud, venom dripping from his voice.

"_**Sabakusôsô**_; IMPLODING SAND FUNERAL!" The splatters of blood never came within a metre of Gaara, never touched his gaunt white skin; his ultimate defence shielded him, now and always.

* * *

"Oomph!" Sai grunted in pain as he was thrown backwards by an extremely formidable foe; it was hard to believe that someone that _fat_ could actually deter him. But he would persevere; there were matters far more important that he had to attend to, like the transformation of Naruto. It was hard to believe that he would so easily, so _willingly_ succumb to the power that the bijūu imposed upon him, thrust into him, his entire system drowning from the power surge.

Ducking another well aimed blow, Sai decided to play for real now; pulling out his small katana blade from the sheath behind his right shoulder, Sai professionally flicked his wrist upwards, spinning down so that he was resting in a half-splits motion, piercing the flesh of the man whom was towering over him thanks to Sai's digression.

Blood flowed from the vital spot that Sai had hit in the man's stomach, splattering droplets onto Sai's face and clothing, dripping slowly down his wrist and forearm; from there, Sai sprung upwards, slicing the man's stomach open, ripping the flesh apart, causing all of the man's insides to come spilling out onto the ground, intestines, liver, you name it.

"Gaaaaackk!" The overweight man coughed up what remained of his blood, before stumbling backwards, his pupils dilated, eyes glazed over to a sombre grey; Sai yanked out his blade stealthily, using his feet and pushing off of the blimp of a shinobi, performing a backflip midair and landing on all fours, his sandals dragging against the craggy surface of the broken earth.

Sheathing his blade, Sai took one last look at his very dead opponent, before turning on his heel and sauntering casually in the direction of the immense chakra coming straight from the four-tailed mini beast ahead.

* * *

Kakashi had taken care of more than half of the enemy shinobi by himself, seeing as so many of the comrades he had been assigned with were either critically injured, or worse off, dead.

Guy fought alongside Kakashi, whom had long forgotten about the bet he had made with Kakashi; whoever got the higher amount of kills was to be dubbed the official winner of all of their silly challenges (all on Guy's part; Kakashi had no idea _why_ he even went along with them in the first place), and would be carried around on the back of the loser five thousand times around the village.

Neither of them were focusing on anything but slaughtering the enemy in cold blood, and moving on; they couldn't and wouldn't allow the Wolfsbane ninja of the Land of Howling Confusion to break through their defences and overtake both this battle and their village.

It was something they refused to accept, and would uptake any challenge proposed to them; they would indeed fight to kill, or be killed themselves'.

One thing was for sure; neither would give up for the sake of their village, their loved ones, and most of all, for the future generations to come.

* * *

Yamato ran through the treetops, towards the direction of the battle, alongside two of the Legendary Sannin; one of them was expected, the other was not.

In fact, he was considered the enemy, a wanted S-rank criminal, but none cared for that fact as of the moment; all that mattered was that he was willing to help out; under the condition/pretence that something that once belonged to him would be returned without question, to which they had reluctantly agreed.

They could always kill him and keep him from causing anymore harm in the near future, but that would have to come later.

For now, all they had to focus on was the victory of the 5th Great Ninja War, which was sure to go down in the history of all battles for future generations to read and learn from the set examples, the hidden, deeper meaning remaining intact; _'Love breeds hate, and hate breeds war. That is why we shinobi do not have the luxury of emotion; that is the __**true**__ way of the ninja.'_

* * *

"Grrrwwwwl!" The four-tails snarled viciously, all the while blocking out the screams of protest coming from Naruto, whom was locked away inside himself. _'Let me outta here, you fucking monster! Don't you __**dare**__ hurt my friends! __**Kyūubi**__!' _

'**Heheh! Shut it, blondy! I'm in control now!'** Kyūubi remarked victoriously, before throwing Naruto against the steel bars of his cage inside of Naruto's self-conscious, rendering him unconscious. As everything went black, and all potential control was destroyed, Naruto muttered silently, barely above a whisper, "He...lp... me... Sasuke.... Saku...ra...-chan..."

The darkness consumed Naruto into an ephemeral dream, where everything was right and well in the world, and by his side stood Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and Sakura, all smiling as they used to; this dream was the desired embodiment of his imagination. This was the dream where nothing had changed, when they were all still just 'Team Kakashi.'

Where they were still inseparable, their bonds secure and insuperable; where they were still important to one another.

* * *

Sakura slammed her fist into the ground, causing another devastating earthquake to erupt, sending many enemy shinobi to meet their maker, in hell.

So far her attempts to reach Naruto were proving useless, futile; no matter just how many ninja she took down, they seemed to replenish just as quickly as they had been disposed of. And quite frankly, Sakura was sick and tired of this never-ending game of cat and mouse; they reminded Sakura of Naruto's '_**Kage bunshin no jutsu**_; multi shadow clone jutsu.'

No matter how large the numbers' and how easily they were taken down, more would soon come and take place amongst the ranks. It was slightly irritating, but the memory itself made Sakura feel at ease, like she was capable of anything in the world.

But her attitude remained the same; she was _not_ assisting Naruto because she cared for _his_ well-being, but was doing it for _everyone else's_ sakes, as well as for her own benefit; she couldn't have a renegade mini destructive machine moving around and annihilating everything within plain sight.

No, that just wouldn't do. And so gathering her wits, Sakura summoned up a massive amount of chakra, making several unrecognisable handsigns; her very special jutsu, that no one had ever witnessed. Although she had many various signature ninjutsu that she could use to attack with, Sakura felt that this one was fitting; after all, it tested her limits as a medic-nin.

Combining her medical ninjutsu with her lightning elemental chakra nature (a/n: Sakura has water element and lightning chakra natures in this story), she formed a thin, glowing, hot pink cloak of chakra that stuck to her skin, before slowly stepping forward, resting her full weight on her right foot; and with that, she spun around, kicking her left leg skywards, her spinning increasing in speed, as well as the thickness of the pink wall of condensed chakra.

Soon there was a tornado of swirling chakra that sent off sparks and bolts of the unique lightning flying in every direction. As the chakra tornado picked up speed, so did the surrounding winds, lifting those incapable of standing their ground away into the far-off distance, surely killing them on impact.

Finally prepared to let her jutsu do it's damage, Sakura changed her stance to completely still, so that only the tornado of chakra was spinning, and made one last hand seal, before calling out,

"_**Shoshuryuū**_; _**Sakura no Mai!**_"

(a/n: "Rising twin dragons; Dance of the Cherry Blossom!")

That's when it happened; the thick chakra tornado split in two, forming two distinctive dragons that were rocketing upwards, weaving in and out of each other like a DNA sample.

Whilst this was happening, bolts of hot pink lightning came from the sky, smiting many of the transfixed ninja where they stood; Sakura had become calm, relaxed, as she focused on her second attack whilst she waited for the first part of the jutsu to complete itself; the genjutsu.

She needed the enemy to remain immobile in order for this to work, so she made the signs of the boar, rabbit, snake, horse, tiger and finally bird, before initiating phase two.

* * *

Sakura petals sprouted suddenly from many trees that had not been there before, and that surprised the Wolfsbane ninja considerably; cherry blossoms weren't supposed to bloom for many months yet; it was the middle of autumn in the Land of Howling Confusion. So then why...?

A wind picked up, slowly at first, plucking each flower from the tree and separating the petals so that they were singular, before the air became suffocatingly dry, the winds picking up to dangerous speeds, spinning the petals in tornado form around the ninja, the scent overpowering, unfamiliar to a normal cherry blossom; it smelt so much better, the perfume of it was tantalising.

Again, the winds slowed, the scent becoming more prominent, keeping the men stuck in their places, the vines that had pushed through the dry earth left unnoticed, even as they climbed up the men's bodies; they finally caught on when it was too little too late. They were now ensnared in an inescapable embrace, that same delicious smell smothering the shinobi, keeping them still, calm; all the more advantageous for Sakura and her jutsu, which was almost upon them.

Not that they knew; they were still trapped in her powerful genjutsu, drooling like the true idiots they were. The scent that they were currently inhaling was a creation of Sakura's; a mix of special pollen found in a particular flower at a certain time of year, and a toxin that was able to desensitise the majority of the senses, the one's that were necessary to avoid getting caught in the genjutsu; taste, touch, sound, and sight.

Smell was vital for the genjutsu to be a success, and since all of the ninja gathered had a dazed look to them, Sakura could tell her trap was an immediate accomplishment. Now for the medical ninjutsu; the twin dragons came down, spinning in and out of one another extremely quickly, and the minute they collided with the earth, Sakura knew she had prevailed.

The dragons exploded into millions of thick streams of hot pink chakra, which then pivoted in all directions, hitting the defenceless Wolfsbane ninja without mercy; the lightning itself did not do the damage. It was the medical ninjutsu that had been combined with the lightning that finished the men off; this particular jutsu was used to take down many opponents at once, by completely tearing apart their inner keirakukei, as well as their vital organs; no exterior damage can be seen by anyone who either wasn't a medic-nin, or didn't have a doujutsu.

And when the jutsu 'tears apart' their inner functions, it literally 'tears apart' their inner functions; unlike the byakugan and gentle fist style, which can pinpoint and close off chakra points, Sakura's jutsu completely severs the keirakukei, the very thin threads themselves, ultimately killing the ninja faster than it would through close combat medical ninjutsu where you hit all the vital organs; you would die a much more painful, slow death that way.

This way was quicker, and prevented suffering; and since they were trapped within the confines of her genjutsu, they would not realise that they were dead, nor would they feel any pain; that was Sakura's only form of mercy for them, and as she let the genjutsu slip away, and watched as their bodies crumpled to the ground, all tears she would have previously shed for killing someone, let alone a whole group, froze forever in her heart; Sakura had finally grasped the true meaning of war, and was now propelling herself through the air, over the masses of dead shinobi, allies and the like, towards her next destination; Naruto.

The determination that filled Sakura's eyes was all that the enemy saw coming before they were slain on the spot.

* * *

_Everything by Lifehouse_

(a/n: the words that are in bold italic are parts of the lyrics from this song. Disclaimer: All rights to this song are credited to the writers/performers Lifehouse. I am just using it!)

(*NOTE: There were many variations for the lyrics of this song, and I am using the incorrect version, only because it relates to the meaning I am trying to get across; The words in the brackets are the REAL lyrics to the start of the song!)

'_W-where... __**where**__ am I...? W-who... __**who**__ am I...?'_

_**Find me here**_

_**Speak to me**_

_**(**_*_**Finally here, won't stay too late)  
I want to feel you  
I need to hear you  
**_

The blackness that shrouded the number one hyperactive knuckleheaded ninja was thick, too thick for him to even cut if he had the strength to lift his arm, but alas he did not. No light could ever possibly penetrate this darkness; the only light at the end of the tunnel was the path to heaven.

_**You are the light  
That's leading me  
To the place where I find peace again**_

Or so Naruto thought. His true light, the one he wished to see at the end of this dismal pool of obsidian, was that of his loved ones; the whole village yes, but three in particular. Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei and... Sakura-chan...

_**You are the strength that keeps me walking  
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting  
You are the light to my soul  
You are my purpose...you're everything**_

_**How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?  
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?**_

_**You calm the storms, and you give me rest  
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall  
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away  
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?**_

Their faces instantly sprung to mind, but they were soon dismissed, as Naruto slowly began to forget everything; even his own name, his purpose in life, everything.

_**Cause you're all I want, You're all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want your all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want you're all I need  
You're everything, everything  
You're all I want you're all I need, you're everything, everything  
**_

As the darkness consumed him, so did the never-ending fight to keep his memories, even as he passed out, curled up once again in foetal position, did he fight for everything that he held dear to him, everything that he kept close to his heart. Everything.

_**Cause you're all I want, You're all I need  
You're everything, everything**_

_**You're all I want your all I need  
You're everything, everything **_

**_

* * *

_**

_It seems you've grown up... it's about time... Sakura..._ Sasuke thought with a smirk as the wind lifted his hair so that it flowed steadily with the currents, blowing it so that it swayed softly around him; as he slaughtered yet another group of the mercenary shinobi, he couldn't help but feel a sudden surge of pride.

A surge of pride for the fact that Sakura was at one stage his teammate, a surge of pride for the fact that she only had eyes for him, now and forever, even if she herself didn't realise it; her brandished attitude said enough as it was. He couldn't help the smile that graced his lips as he watched her take down the group of shinobi she was fighting without shedding a single tear as she normally would have.

_Yes... you really have grown up since then... Sakura..._

* * *

Tsunade had just shattered another pesky shinobi's bones when a sudden flash of movement caught her eye; turning so that she was now facing the trio that stood before her, she couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback. What is _he_ doing here?!

"Tsunade. I came as quickly as I could; as you can see, to make up for my tardiness, I have brought the means to the end of this battle." Jiraiya gestured to the man standing alongside him, who simply smiled maliciously, a glint of something unrecognisable in his eyes.

Tsunade shuddered, before snapping down to the ground, resting all of her weight on her left leg as she brought her right up into the air, making direct contact with a Wolfsbane ninja's chin; the loud shattering noise informed her that she had just broken the shinobi's jaw and neck, killing him instantly.

Springing upright again, Tsunade held her hand out to the powerful ninja in question, looking at him with solid determination, akin to the light that had shone previously in her student's eyes. "Welcome to the 5th Great Shinobi War; let's work hard together so that we may prevail."

The ninja chuckled darkly, the obscured, snaky tone to it unmistakable, extending his cold hand to clasp Tsunade's in a brief handshake, before replying sinisterly, "Yesss, indeed I ssshall. Heheheh... Tsunade. Thisss should be extremely entertaining. Heheheheheheheh! Let usss go to war."

_Eurrgh! I'll never get used to Orochimaru's twisted persona..._ Tsunade thought in disgust, before the three Legendary Sannin stood up together, reunited and ready to fight as one once more.

* * *

"Aaaaaiiie!" Ino screamed as she was thrown head on with Shikamaru, who was quick on the uptake; skidding heavily on the barren, cragged earth, Shikamaru managed to stop Ino from colliding with the mountainside that was intended for her, pulling her upright, supporting most of her weight until she calmed down. "Ino! Are you alright?! Are you hurt anywhere?!"

But before an answer could be issued, Ino pointed behind Shikamaru and squealed, "Shika! Behind you!" Acting fast, Shikamaru pulled out a kunai that had a paper bomb tagged in the finger-hole and threw it towards the raging ninja, stabbing him in the abdomen; before anyone realised it, the tag had exploded, taking with it the mercenary.

With a sigh of relief, Shikamaru and Ino headed off to find Choji, whom was at this very minute fighting off a horde of hungry ninja hounds.

* * *

The cloaked man watched as the proceedings unfurled; so far things were not going to plan.

He had not expected an alliance with the Sand ninja, so there were that many more to contend with; then there were the three Legendary Sannin, whom were at this minute taking down hundreds of his forces without breaking a single sweat.

He noted that the Godaime of Sunagakure, the 5th Kazekage, was also making an appearance, completely obliterating his army with his sand, something that fascinated the cloaked figure; never had he seen a jutsu along the lines of this.

What really made the cloaked master extremely edgy, uncomfortable, even slightly worried, was the fact that the nine-tailed fox had just transformed into four tails mode; if it managed to make nine, then everything would fall apart; he would ultimately lose this battle.

And that was unacceptable; it looked like he himself would have to get involved with the fight personally.

So with that, the cloaked figure removed himself from hiding, and took off towards where his obedient soldiers fought for his sake, for his one true 'love'; Sakura Haruno.

* * *

Sakura had made it to the clearing where the four-tailed beast now resided; after all of the slaughter she had had to perform in order to get to this stage, she had finally made it. She noticed that Sai was also in the clearing, and when he noticed her presence, he simply smiled and moved so that he was standing by her side, prepared to fight with her to help his friend break free from the fox's confines, from his control.

Sakura smiled back at him, albeit rather uncomfortably, as if the situation they were in wasn't the appropriate time to be smiling (it truly wasn't) at one another, before diverting her attention back to the demon in front of them.

* * *

It had indeed noted their presence, and was not happy.

**'Damn those pesky runts!'** Naruto hearing this turned to the side, only to see through the Kyūubi's eyes the forms of Sai and Sakura, who looked back at the beast with profound determination; they were here to save Naruto form his prison inside the monster itself.

_Sakura-chan... Sai... you came... where's... teme...? Onegai... get me outta... here..._ Naruto passed out for the last time, this time with a soft smile plastered to his lips, a single tear streaking from the corner of his eye, landing in the pool of obsidian that surrounded him, shattering the surface in which it fell upon, and in that very spot, a glimmer of white light could be seen beaming its' way into Naruto's heart.

* * *

Kakashi and Guy hurtled towards the clearing where Sakura and Sai had gathered in alone, concerned that they would get seriously injured if they fought just the two of them against that beast.

Along the way, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Hinata, Shino, Kiba and Akamaru, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kurenai and Asuma caught up with them, and together they moved towards the pair of fearless shinobi who had singled out the guts to face the four-tailed Kyūubi, which was now roaring and bounding towards them.

* * *

Just as the mini beast was about to make contact with Sai and Sakura, a figure appeared in front of the beast, eyes closed, body relaxed.

With one last roar, the beast sprung upwards, intending to fall upon the figure that had blocked his attack, but before the creature even hit the ground, the man opened his eyes, and there began the true battle.

* * *

Sakura let out a gasp as the figure turned out to be none other than Sasuke himself; not only had he come, but he had defended them both from the impending attack from the four-tails. But why—?

"You. Your name's Sai, right? Get Sakura out of here and to somewhere safe; this is way out of her capabilities to handle. Now go!" Sasuke muttered dangerously as the four-tails writhed in agony on the ground at his feet.

Sakura took it as an insult to all of her training, and so without her consent, she snapped viciously at the glowering Uchiha in front of her, "How fucking dare you?! Are you saying I'm not capable of this fight?! Is that what you are oh so high and mighty about?! 'Cause if it is, then you are so fucking—"

"Shut the fuck up! You really are an annoying little bitch; just like always!" Sasuke hollered angrily, just as Kakashi's feet hit the ground across from them, hearing every word. "Sasuke, you fucking—"

"Enough. Alright, Sasuke-kun; I'll do as you say." Sai replied in the friendliest manner he could muster, before grabbing the outraged Sakura around the waist and hauling her upwards; not that it did any good. Sakura just ended up hitting him in frustration.

"Sai, you can be such a _dick_ sometimes!" Turning on her heel, she stormed angrily towards the Uchiha, whose back was turned from her; it wouldn't be for long. "Sasuke, you spineless—"

"You just don't get it do you?!" Sasuke growled through clenched teeth, confusing Sakura ever so slightly. "What do you mean—?"

"Argh! For the love of—I refuse to see you get hurt over this; I know you are stronger, and I can safely acknowledge and praise that. But this fight is too much for you alone to handle; I was born with the ability to restrain the Kyūubi inside of Naruto, and that is what I shall do; restrain this monster and bring Naruto back. You will only remain a hindrance if you stay here; I can't protect both you and everyone else gathered here." Sasuke shouted, stress seeping into his bones.

"You don't have to..." Sakura replied quietly, startling the Uchiha into a blissful silence, which in itself was the only quiet that any of the fighting shinobi would hear for a long while yet.

"Yes, I do; that is why I choose to do this alone. I refuse to take any chances, take a risk, in order to take down the monster in front of us; I refuse to let anyone get hurt over my decision, and I shall leave it at that. Now leave; I'll handle this."

As Sakura was about to reply, a hand clamped down on her shoulder, and turning her head, Sakura saw none other than Kakashi-sensei, who was smiling warmly down at her, his yes crinkled up in what appeared to be reassurance.

"Let's leave this to Sasuke to contend with Sakura; he can handle this without our aid. Besides, it's as he says; we'll only get in his way in the end. It's not because you aren't capable; it's just that because it is Naruto, we need to take every precaution in order to ensure his safety; one of those punches of yours, and not only would you be damning the Kyuubi, but also Naruto himself. You wouldn't want that resting on your shoulders, now would you, Sakura?"

With a reluctant shake of the head, Kakashi nodded towards Sasuke just as he was about to leave with Sakura, his right arm encircled around her shoulders, and said loudly enough for all to hear,

"You better keep your end of the bargain, Sasuke; we're watching you. Stop the Kyūubi and bring Naruto back safely to us, okay?"

"Hn."

Kakashi smirked at Sasuke's reply, reminiscing on all of the times that Sasuke had used that and 'Aa' as a way of expressing his confidence (in his abilities); yes, his way was a lot more subtle than that of Naruto's, which was usually screeched aloud over and over again; 'I'll kick your ass, and then become the Hokage, dattebayo!'

With one last chuckle, and a glance at Sasuke, Kakashi took off, with Sakura pressed to his side lovingly. "They'll be fine Sakura; there's no need to panic."

"Oh, I believe that she has all the reason in the world to panic; after all, the nine-tails Jinchūriki is not what I am after." A loud, sultry voice quipped, and Sakura immediately stiffened in Kakashi's half-armed embrace, Kakashi looking to her quizzically; what he saw made his blood run cold.

Sakura's eyes were bulging, and her grip on Kakashi almost had him doubling over in pain. Her skin was a gaunt, sickly white, and she was perspiring more than she ever had before; what really made Kakashi feel sick was the look of fearful fervour in her eyes, the way that her eyes struggled to push back the tears that had flooded to them.

From the looks of things, Sakura was terrified beyond belief of this man, whom had just stepped out of the shadows of the trees on the outskirts of the Land of Howling Confusion; the one place that Sakura's chakra fuelled kick seemed to have missed.

Kakashi took in his appearance, even though the man was still wearing his cloak, and found that he was indeed strikingly familiar, like he was someone Kakashi had once known; this was only proven when the man in question politely addressed him.

"My, my, you have grown into quite the young man, haven't you Kakashi? I haven't seen you since your late father introduced us; I believe it was at your mother's funeral...? No, it was at her memorial service, that's right! You never met your mother; after all, she died during childbirth! That's right; I remember now!"

Kakashi flinched at the mention of his late parents', but didn't have much time for thought; the rest of the Leaf shinobi that had been accompanying Kakashi had just arrived in the neck of the woods.

"Kakashi. Who is that man?" Guy asked, clearly affronted; he hated to be left out of introductions, be that with the enemy or not; particularly when it involved Kakashi.

When there was no reply, Guy moved forward and placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder, which was tense, almost as fixated as the glare that was being aimed at the man across from them.

Sakura had long since been lost in thought, letting the forbidden memories finally awaken from their slumber.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Sakura unknowingly ran towards her home, smiling and laughing; Itachi and Sasuke were hot on her heels, seeing as they were playing gang-up tip, which didn't work out so well, seeing as they only had three players to begin with. But it was still fun never the less. _

_Sakura had been spending more and more time at the Uchiha's estate of late, and her mother had been coming home less and less; not that Sakura could care. She was having way too much fun to want to even go back there, where that man could easily come and attack her again, possibly prevailing this time around. _

_So now she had a permanent bed in their home, and was accepted as the daughter that Mikoto and Fugaku had never had; a little sister for Itachi to baby around, and a sibling for Sasuke to play with when his oni-san wasn't around. _

_Yes, life couldn't get any better than it was right now for the young rosette. Then again, it could just get a hell of a lot worse; Sakura noticed a pink haired woman standing outside the door of her home, on the porch, looking anxious. Sakura was about to find out why. _

_"SAKURA! Where have you been, I've been worried sick!" The woman, Amai, came running towards her, tears streaming down her flushed pink cheeks; sweat poured down her face, leading Sakura to believe that her ka-san had been looking for her for quite some time now. Pulling her into a tight embrace, the woman fondled with her daughter's hair, stroked her back and shook her by the shoulders. _

_"What were you thinking, wandering off like that?! There are all sorts of bad men out there and—"_

_"I would like to formerly apologise on behalf of Sakura-chan; she was with my family, playing with my ototo and I. Sumimasen deshita; I am deeply ashamed for the worry we have caused you Haruno-san." Itachi interrupted hastily, not wanting to see any family feuding over their trivial activity. _

_Dropping down onto his hands and knees, Itachi bowed down into the ground, deep enough to make it look as if he were pressed into it; and indeed he was. Sasuke looked at his oni-san anxiously, the sudden drop making him think that his aniki had fainted from stress (until he saw him stretch out his arms in front of him, pointing his hands inwards as a sign of the deepest of apologies), whilst Amai looked completely flummoxed by Itachi's actions; Sakura just stared, wide eyed at her surrogate aniki. _

_"Uh... that's alright I suppose... Hold on a moment... you're Mikoto and Fugaku's eldest son, correct? And he is their youngest?" Amai gestured towards both Itachi and Sasuke questioningly, obviously a bit slow on the uptake; any normal person would have recognised them as member's of the Uchiha Clan (their looks say it all), simply because of the symbol emboldened on their back. _

_"Hai. Oka-san and oto-san have graced many a conversation of your beautiful, loving nature, and it is beyond a doubt a pleasure to meet your acquaintance in person, Haruno-san." Itachi stated calmly, a small smile gracing his soft lips; Amai found herself blushing profusely, her hand tightening on Sakura's shoulder, the rosette flinching from the strength poured into it. _

_It was easy to see that Amai was warming up to Itachi more than she should be; he is, after all, still a young adolescent, whereas she is a mild-mannered thirty-six year old, a year older than his mother. "Oh really? Well, I don't think that meeting me is that big a deal as you make it out, but arigatou, Itachi-san." _

_'Huh? How does mommy know Itachi-kun's name? I thought she didn't know him...' Sakura thought in bewilderment, stunned in her silence, trying to find the missing piece of the puzzle as they continued their one-sided conversation of sorts. _

_"Dou itashi mashite, Haruno-san."_

_"And your manners! You really know how to speak to a lady! I assume Fu-chan is behind all that; strict rules and 'always has to be painfully polite to seniors' was always his thing anyways! I couldn't imagine Miko-chan being so painfully cruel as to enslave you to your vocabulary, could you?" Amai exclaimed in excitement, the closest thing she had been to normal and happy since her father had died; Sakura wished she could share her mother's enthusiasm, but unfortunately she was too busy trying to follow what was being said. _

_The two of them spoke as if they were well acquainted with one another already, and were reminiscing about some event that happened in a time period where Sakura didn't exist. _

_"No, I couldn't see oka-san being anything but kind and loving; the perfect doting mother figure of the household, who always has enough love to spread around." Itachi replied politely, all the while sharing a look with his ototo; both were thinking exactly the same thing. '"Fu-chan?" Oto-san? Definitely not a fitting nickname.'_

_"Hai, Miko-chan has always been so caring and kind to others'! Even as children she looked after the older and younger generation; as I recall, that was how she met your father, the first time around. He was hanging around with Mino-chan (Minato) and Mo-chan (Miyano)," Amai flinched at the mention of her deceased husband, "as well as Kū-chan (Kushina) and several other members of the Uchiha-and surprisingly enough Hyuga-, when out of no where popped Miko-chan, escorting an old man across the street. It was then that she was hassled by a bunch of bakas that thought that they could play around with her, and Fu-chan came to the rescue! Though albeit rather reluctantly; Mino-chan and Mo-chan and had to literally shove him in the way before he did anything. And all she could do was stand there and blush; I don't blame her though. Fu-chan was quite the looker when he was younger..." _

_She drifted off into a quick reverie, the Uchiha siblings looking to one another to see if they were actually witnessing this; Sakura's mother had a **thing**, whether past or presently still, for their oto-san. **Eeeuuuurrrgggh**! Sakura could not believe what her ka-san was saying; she had at one point... **fancied** Itachi and Sasuke-kun's oto-sama?! **Eeeuuuurrrgggh**! _

_Exchanging a glance with the Uchiha siblings, Sakura found herself turning tomato red; they had been watching her reaction at the same time she was thinking how disgusting it was that her mother had a thing for Fugaku-sama! Amai had suddenly jumped out of her reverie, quickly fishing out a pocket watch from her handbag (it's a pocket watch... why would someone put it somewhere that wasn't their pocket?!), before gasping and hauling Sakura up into her arms. _

_"Sumimasen deshita, Itachi-san, Sasuke-san; but I have somewhere I need to be. Arigatou for looking after my baby while I was away at a conference. It was too kind of you." _

_With a hasty bow, she turned on her heel, Sakura struggling insistently until her mother dropped her to the ground, an annoyed 'Sakura?!' escaping her lips; the rosette bolted towards the receding backs of the two Uchiha brothers', screaming "Itachi-kun! Sasuke-kun! Matte!"Itachi and Sasuke both turned just in time to see a flash of pink tint their vision, moving at volatile speeds until she hurtled into Itachi's stomach, a loud 'Oomph!' emitted from the eldest Uchiha's mouth; the impact had left him breathless, like he had been winded._

_ "Ahahahahahahahaha! Sakura-chan, careful there! You could have broken my ribs with the force of your collision." Itachi chuckled heartily, whilst Sasuke stood there, completely dazed; where had Sakura come from? _

_His young mind was trying to work its' way around that, but nothing was coming into suggestion; all he could even process was that she was hugging his aniki. **Not him**. _

_Sakura squeezed Itachi until he finally pried her fingers from around his waist, bowing apologetically to Amai, who looked as perplexed as he felt; smiling, Amai simply said, "She must really adore you and your little brother."_

_Speaking of... Sakura turned to the slightly pouty Uchiha across from her, whom looked like he had just had his most prized possession taken off of him; with a grin, the rosette trotted over and threw her arms around his neck, a surprised gasp exiting Sasuke's lips. _

_Pulling back after several minutes, she then placed a chaste kiss to his cheek, a scarlet flush burning its' way to the surface of his creamy white cheeks; nothing compared to the one that made its' way to Sakura's._

_ She had turned away abruptly, so as to make sure they didn't see, before running over to her ka-san and tugging at her hand. _

_"Urm... I'm ready to go now, mommy." Amai's eyes widened, whilst she looked between Sasuke and her daughter, and then to Itachi; a knowing look flashed across his face as he hauled Sasuke up onto his shoulders, turning in the opposite direction as they proceeded in walking. _

_"It was the utmost pleasure meeting you, Haruno-san; I hope to be seeing you soon, Sakura-chan." And with that, they disappeared over the horizon, the sun's rays haloing them like they were angels with wings; at least, Sakura believed they were angels, sent to earth to protect her from harm. _

_Her very own personal guardian angels. A small smile found its' rightful place on the rosette's lips as she walked hand-in-hand with her ka-san, not realising the impending danger she was in. _

_"Ah! There he is! Takeshi-kun! Over here!" Amai let go of her daughter's hand, only to throw herself in the arms of a man too drenched in sunlight for Sakura to make him out; but when she did, she realised to her horror that it was the same man that had attacked her that night in her house, the same man whom let Shaora beat her within an inch of her life, and then proposed kidnapping her. _

_Stumbling backwards, Sakura choked on a scream and turned to run, only to run into... that man?! But how did he—?!_

_"Hello there, little one; don't be frightened, I won't hurt you."_

_'The hell he won't!' Sakura thought defiantly, her anger at being hurt to such an extent bubbling to the surface; Amai watched the scene in an obliviously cheery state, grinning from ear to ear as the man known as 'Takeshi' gently lifted Sakura up into his arms and kissed her on the forehead._

_ "Hmm. You are as beautiful as your mother said; if not more so. My name is Takeshi Akio, and I will be seeing your mother on a regular basis from now on. Your name is Sakura, correct? It matches your bubblegum locks; absolutely breathtaking. Although I think you are more beautiful than a cherry blossom, wouldn't you agree, Amai-chan?" _

_Amai nodded vehemently, a love-blind fool to what was really going on; with his startling good looks, dark green unkempt hair, to his deep indigo eyes and pale skin, he was able to easily fool her mother into believing in the illusion he was casting. _

_But Sakura always had the knack for seeing through acts of ill-will and dishonest motives; shoving her hands against his chest, Sakura tumbled to the ground, scrambling to her feet and hiding behind her oka-san's leg. _

_"Sakura, what on earth has gotten into you?! Be more polite; Takeshi-kun is a sweet man, and you aren't giving him the benefit of the doubt. Apologise to him this instant!"_

_"NO! He's evil! I HATE HIM!" Sakura screamed, before turning and running, hard and fast, until she found herself in the Uchiha compound; bolting toward the house she only knew too well as Sasuke and Itachi-kun's, she threw open the slide doors, not bothering to knock as she usually would, startling the family that sat, about to eat their lunch. _

_"Sakura-chan?! What are you doing here?!" Mikoto exclaimed in fright, the loud 'thud!' the door had caused when slamming against the wooden panelling the cause behind that fright. "I-Itachi...-kun..." _

_"Nande, Sakura-chan?"_

_"That man... the one you told me to avoid... he's... he's... momma's new boyfriend..."_

_Sakura choked out, before collapsing in a heap on one of the tatami mats lat lay astray at the door's entrance._

_ "Sakura!" Sasuke yelled in shock, moving to her side and pulling her onto his lap; her recent beating, coupled with the hours went without sleep and the shock of her discovery had pushed Sakura over the edge, end result being her inevitable fainting spell. _

_Takeshi Akio.... that was a name that the rosette would never forget and it died on her lips, the image of his lust-filled gaze drowning out any doubts that he was indeed a 'good man.' _

_His name even suggested that that wasn't the case (a/n: 'Takeshi' means 'violent, fierce warrior', whereas 'Akio' means 'glorious hero/man.' Basically his character is that of someone who thinks highly of his abilities, making him out as a 'glorious hero', and whenever he engages in battle, he is always a violent, fiercely renowned warrior). _

_It was too bad her mother hadn't seen it until it was too late._

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"**_Takeshi_**... **_Akio_**..." Sakura muttered lethally, glaring at the man whom had not only destroyed her childhood, but killed both of her parents' as well.

* * *

**a/n: Heya! I know it's been a while (almost a month), but I was telling the truth about my computer being crashed! This chapter was done and ready (aside from a bit of 'nipping and tucking,' as one in the plastic surgery business would say) to go, but then the fucking stupid contraption of a thing HAD to go and die on me! Sumimasen deshita! This chapter is shorter, but I just don't have the time anymore; expect even later updates in future!**

**Please R&R!**

**Arigato gozaimasu! XD**

**~Sasukeluva 4eva~ **


	8. Takeshi AkioThe cultivator of nightmares

**a/n: FUCK , I AM SOOOOOO SORRRY!!! T-T THIS UPDATE HAS COME AT A REALLY BAD TIME FOR ME, AS I AM TOO BUSY TO BE EVEN THINKING OF WRITING THIS; be glad that I take stock of me being an actual terminal insomniac to your own discretion peeps! But I DID mention somewhere and the like that I wouldn't be updating on a sort of regular basis...**

**Well, anyways, we are underway with the story and moving on to chapter 7. Weird. **_**ANYWAYS**_**, I hope you guys don't hate me for not updating earlier for the much anticipated (I think...?) chapter 6 **_**'Ain't war grand? The cloaked man's true identity'**_**; my excuse is still legit, btw! XD **

**On with the show; enjoy, and arigato gozaimasu! This chapter is dedicated to my totally psychedelic (in a good way people) friend Jazz, whom has been offering up her advice, her support and her totally awesome and random comments/suggestions/lawl! This is for you, girl; luv ya! ^^ X3**

**Disclaimer: **_**Why? WHY?! WHY DOES SASUKE HAVE TO DIE?! TT..TT**_

_**THIS IS ALL KISHIMOTO-SENSEI'S FAULT!! I HATE YOU!!**_** X{**

**Jokes, jokes! Sasuke is **_**NOT**_** going to die; he lives with me, so I'd be the first to know! Naruto is the property of Kishimoto-sensei, and all portrayals of characters in this fic are totally OOC; **_**mine**_** in other words. XP**

**NOTE: LEMON AHEAD; BE ADVISED!**

* * *

Chapter 7

Takeshi Akio; The Cultivator of Nightmares

* * *

"Takeshi... Akio...? Who the hell is that?!" Guy exclaimed haughtily, not quite sure what to make of the situation; Sakura had just offered up the two most sinisterly spoken words she had ever uttered, and Kakashi was currently lost in a genjutsu of some sort. There was absolutely _no way_ in snowy mountains _hell_ that Kakashi would simply conk out, lose himself, in the middle of what could turn out to be the most spectacularly impossible battle of the century, possibly millennia; no siree.

Which left just him, Asuma and Kurenai as the only _experienced_ jonin on the field; Neji may have been one for going on two years now, but he still had _a lot_ of learning to do before he was accepted in amongst the elite league. Whereas the rest of the group had only _just_ been indoctrinated, dubbed with the title of jonin, so they had to _really_ keep an eye out for any loose stunts this 'Takeshi' guy pulled. Turning to the side, Guy watched in horror as his nemesis/rival/friend/comrade fell to his knees, eyes wide and glazed over, body racked with waves of never-ceasing shaking; kneeling down, he pulled Kakashi around to face him, before slapping him senseless, screaming his name manically.

"KAKASHI! SNAP OUTTA IT! IT'S GUY! YA KNOW, YOUR ARCH-NEMESIS! Come _on_, get with the program you teinousha!"

"It's no use; he won't snap out of it. The genjutsu I cast on him can't be undone by simple means of _'kai release'_ or bellowing in his ears; nice try though. The only way he'll ever be released is if someone with the will to witness his blood-drenched past goes in and drags him out; that, or you could just kill me." Takeshi stated plainly, a hint of mock humour lacing his voice as he analysed Guy's reaction; his eyes had narrowed into a glare so chilling it could have frozen over all the Hidden Villages in an impenetrable layer of thick ice three times over.

"With pleasure." Was all he said before he charged toward him, fist poised as he disappeared in a blur of movement invisible to the naked eye. Too bad it went noticed by the smirking cloaked man.

Takeshi simply raised his index finger, spinning precariously on his heel, snapping forward with such speed that it made Guy-sensei look like an amateur, resting all his weight on his left leg, before springing back around and slapping the stunned spandex-wearing beast across the cheek with the long, slim appendage, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying into the luscious trees across the clearing, tearing them from their stable ground by their roots as he came to an abrupt stop; Lee had caught his sensei just before he collided with the open cliff face, which would have resulted in serious injury.

Takeshi stood there, smug with his little performance, but annoyed that his fun had been brutally stopped before it hit its' climax; with that, he swivelled back around, letting his deep indigo eyes settle on the figure of the one in which he had so desperately tried to find; long bubblegum pink locks, emerald green eyes, creamy white skin, voluptuous figure. Yes, this was what he had waited for for so long; to see _her_ at her physical peak, her most stunning outer appearance set free upon the world for admirers to gaze at for as long as they desired.

She was definitely easy on the eyes, and never one to fail in meeting standards, his cherry blossom (a/n: yeah, I officially dub this guy a demented out-of-his-mind psychopath!); she was even more beautiful than her mother. But then again, he had always thought that, ever since the day she was born.

_

* * *

_

_Flashback_

_**(Lemon content ahead!)**_

"—_Miyano-kun, we still haven't given her a name—" Amai cut off with a harsh gasp, and Takeshi strained to see what was happening; happening to __**his**__ beloved, __**not**__ Miyano's. Amai was, and would always be, __**his**__, no matter how persistent __**that**__ fucking bastard was in keeping her affections. _

"_Mmmmm.... Acck! Stop that right now! Not in front of the baby—"_

"_Now is as perfect as any time, Amai-__**chan**__."Miyano whispered playfully in her ear as he pushed her down onto the sheets, Takeshi seeing red; it was bad enough that they had had a child together (also the fact that they had had sex on various occasions), but they were about to become intimate, whilst he was __**watching**__? But even if he wanted to act he couldn't; after all, he had never actually __**met**__ Amai in person before. _

_She was his wallflower, the one thing that brought any light, colour, __**shine**__ into his dismal and meagre existence; the one thing that held any value and importance in his heart, and here she was, about to fuck another man, like a two-bit whore. But maybe that was what she was; if she couldn't see that what she was __**really**__ looking for was standing before her, and has always been, then he didn't need her. Her love, her light, her body, none of it; he refused to dedicate himself heart and soul to a woman who would only end up leaving him for the first man she met that resembled her prick of a so-called "husband." _

_No, he would have to find another woman to set his focus on, someone that he could love in this traitorous whore's place. But where could he find—_

"_Aaaaahhhh! Miyano-kun! This isn't...! Not now...!"_

_Takeshi had finally had enough, and completely pressed himself up against the bedroom's window, only to be graced with the sight of Amai stark nude, lying on the crimson sheets as Miyano slid inside her, her face a contorted mask of pure pleasure; the anger that bubbled to the surface only grew as he watched Miyano pull out to meet his wife's soaked entrance, toying with her playfully before sinking back into her, slow and torturous. Amai felt the knot in her chest coil dangerously tight, but was once again left feeling empty, a whiny pout gracing her full lips as she glared at her husband, who seemed to be enjoying her reaction to his refusal; the refusal to end her suffering._

_ He sat with his erection nudging Amai's drenched folds, sticky fluids coating his member as he prodded playfully, dragged-out moans exiting said woman's throat; if he didn't do something, __**anything**__, soon, she was going to spontaneously combust. "Mi....hyah....no...o...-kunnnnnn! One....gai...ONEGAI!" He answered with a fluid, hard thrust, hitting her sore spot and sending immediate trembles up her spine, a loud, choked moan escaping the confines of her throat; by this point, Takeshi was just about ready to holler bloody murder. "Heh. Hit a sensitive spot, ne?" Miyano grunted through his teeth, applying more force to his hips as he sank deeper, her legs raised at an angle so that he had better access; all Amai could do in reply was turn shade of cherry pink, a very pained cry resonating in her chest. _

_She was close, she could feel it in every pore and fibre of her being, but a sickening knowing that Miyano intended to withhold her release for his own sadistic pleasure was what had Amai nearly in cardiac arrest; he would indefinitely drag this out, torture her, until she could barely breathe anymore. But shockingly enough, with one last strong thrust, she came, a white fire flooding through her bloodstream as her liquids drizzled shamelessly down her inner thighs, and onto the silk beneath their sweat-slicked bodies; after another four hard thrusts, Miyano met his end too, stars of white clouding his vision as he collapsed upon his wife, panting heavily as she ran her fingers through his drenched, dark brown hair, his emerald green eyes glittering with residual lust, ebbing away as he drifted off into a light slumber. _

_But before Amai could even blink, the sound of a sobbing wail broke through the comfortable silence, an annoyed groan emitted from Miyano as he rolled off of his wife, only to get up and saunter slowly over to where the small white crib was positioned, the cries growing louder the longer it was ignored; sighing with a fatherly fondness, Miyano leaned over, his tall frame making it impossible to pick 'it' up without hurting his back, and stood cradling a small form; a newborn child to be exact. _

_With bubblegum pink locks that barely came to the nape of the child's neck; Miyano had seemingly forgotten that he stood there completely naked, holding the child expertly in his arms, a small, warm smile imprinted on his face as he watched the child cease its' crying, only to gaze up at the man with big, apple green eyes, several shades lighter than its' father's, whose were deep emerald, not a light shade in any way or form._

_ A large grin made its' way to the infants lips as it cooed affectionately, giggling when said child's father blew kisses against the warm flesh of its' stomach, Miyano grinning like a love-struck idiot at the child that was now officially known as 'his.' This baby was... __**his**__, plain and simple. An impatient "Ahem" was heard, and obliviously Miyano turned to be faced with his tired, sweaty, gorgeous partner whom had a rather nasty scowl on her face; she held her arms out for the child, and with a disappointed sigh, Miyano complied, making his way back to the bed and carefully handing their child to his wife, whom had less experience with children than he did; after all, there had been another point where he had been married, with a child of his own too (a/n: Miyano is roughly six years older than Amai, which isn't too large a difference in some ways, and he only married young because he got his current girlfriend at the time pregnant; in a way, he was making it out as some kind of 'insurance', if you follow). _

_Tragically, in a twist of fate, they were murdered several years ago, and he looked to Amai for solace; again, it seemed his contradictory self whom swore to never love again, well, __**did**__. And look where he is now; back to where he started, though this time, he would protect them both, for sure. Miyano noticed the slight awkwardness that Amai displayed, and with a quiet smile, he gently helped her hold the child correctly, a stubborn pout forming on the eighteen year old woman's face as she 'hmphed!', a faint trace of pink painting her cheeks once again; but she smiled when the child cooed, hands groping at her swollen breasts, all blame resting solely on the aftermath of the birth._

_ "She's hungry." Miyano chuckled lightly into Amai's ear, nipping at the lobe and playfully sucking on her throat, the heat rising to tickle the back of Amai's neck as he groped the lower part of her left breast with his left hand, the right drifting lower and lower until...?! 'SMACK!' Amai had swatted said man's hand away, cradling the stilled form of her daughter in one arm as she pinned her perverted husband's wandering appendage to his side with the other; without another word, Amai raised the child to her left breast's pink, distended nipple, the young infant's mouth reflexively clamping around the sore, chapped peak. _

_Amai flinched slightly out of discomfort, both from the pain of her breasts' 'breaking in' period, and from the fact that she was still to get used to __**that**__ sort of feeling, and embarrassment, as Miyano's eyes were fixed on the child which was currently being breast fed for the first time, his hand still cupping her chest affectionately, raising said hand to stroke his daughter's pink locks. Amai watched the display with a motherly fondness, closing her eyes momentarily; she would have very little time to do this in future, so she would be greedy and take what she could now, living in the moment as best she could. _

_"We still have to name her you know." Miyano whispered softly, his right hand back on the move toward her lower region, this time Amai too wrapped up and absorbed in her thoughts to prevent it; his index finger slipped passed her curls and rubbed against her vulva impertinently as he nibbled on her shoulder, the wetness between that conservative space known as Amai's thighs once again soaking the sheets as she moaned quietly, as not to startle the child in her embrace. _

_Her head lolled onto his broad shoulder, his spare arm coming up beneath her arm and over her stomach, her legs spread apart as wide as they could go without hurting her as he inserted said appendage, fore-mentioned woman crying out as loud as she could; this really was too much for her to handle right now. But he wouldn't stop. The pace rapidly picked up, as he added two more fingers to the mix, at even intervals, Amai's chest heaving dangerously as she gasped and thrashed wildly, her body desperately craving, wanting, him again; but his statement had had the desired effect. _

_"Hah! Hah! We... have... to... name... her... NOW... Mi...hyah....no... mmmm!" She felt the heat rush into her sweaty flushed cheeks as the thread inside her snapped, pulling apart with such force that Amai had to bite down on her lip, drawing blood; the building liquids gushed out, a strangled cry leaving her as she shook violently, not wanting to jolt and therefore frighten her newborn child. Miyano was pleased with the outcome, so he retracted his wandering appendages, now glistening with clear juices, before licking them dry, knowing that Amai was too busy trying not to faint from her high to actually notice; said woman let her eyes fall upon the fore-mentioned infant, still suckling on her sore breast obliviously. _

_Shifting her weight so that Amai sat in between Miyano's legs against his toned chest, she found herself lulling off to sleep, relaxing into the warm body which was her husband's; just before she completely met the darkness, Miyano whispered something in her ear, fuzzy yet clear, bringing a small smile to her lips._

"_Her name... is __**Sakura**__..."_

_And with that, she drowned in a sea of tranquil slumber, Miyano cradling them both in his arms as he stared fondly at his family, then out the window, to where the full moon had just revealed itself from behind the black storm clouds; that was when he noticed it. A dark silhouette bounding toward the trees beyond, only stopping to gaze up at the glowing rock above, a harsh, unexpected howl released from said figure; of what, Miyano didn't know. _

_Was he in pain? He would never know, even when the day arrived that his life was to be brought to an untimely end, he never figured out why that man had cried out; there were many reasons. The main one was acceptance, and letting go of the one he had given his everything to, and the other was of rage, that he could not take what he wanted, __**needed**__, the most; but foremost was pleasure. _

_Takeshi had just found his new love, target, __**prey**__, and this was left unknown to all, his inane manic laughter carried on the dying wind years thereafter. _

_End of Flashback_

_

* * *

_

The moment Takeshi had laid eyes on Sakura was enough to justify whatever sick reasoning went through his head, even as he gazed at her in a typically male appreciative sort of way, a glint of evil intent lining those deep indigo depths as he continued to stare; Sakura felt her discomfort increase ten-fold as she watched his sickening display of Kami-sama knows what.

From the corner of her eye, the rosette caught a glimpse of her sensei, and fuck did she _hate_ what she was seeing; he was a sickly white, sweat framing his face as he stared off into space, fear evident in his eyes, and what appeared to be... tears? No, that _couldn't_ be... could it...?

Takeshi felt himself twitch; noting the way Sakura looked at the man now crumpled on the ground was infuriating to watch, let alone witness. She was _his_, and no other man could take her away from him, _none_.

"You can't save him, you know. It's already too late; the genjutsu on him is one of the most dangerous, lethal in my arsenal, and it could have been, dare I say, a lot worse for him than it is right now. After all, if I wanted to, I could replay me killing his mother's family again and again just for his convenience. Lucky him, ne?"

"You fucking bastard, what have you done?! You killed his mother's family?! How can you be so fucked up?!" Sakura screamed angrily, tears burning paths down her ivory cheeks as she glared at said man, remembering all too well the day Kakashi had told her about how his mother had _really_ died. The day she first recalled Kakashi ever openly shedding tears... hai... he had been _crying_...

* * *

_Flashback_

"_S-Sensei...? What is it..?What's wrong..?" Sakura belted out nervously, the sudden transition from a cheekily smiling sensei to the one which was now sobbing heavily on her shoulder almost too much to take in, to bear; Kakashi gripped Sakura's shoulders with enough force to break them, had she not been as sinewy as she was. Something must have upset him greatly to invoke __**this**__ as a reaction, consequence, for it. "I remembered... something... that I... never wanted to... __**never**__...."_

"_W-What..? What is it, Kaka-sensei?"_

"_The night I was born, while my father was away on an S-ranked mission... a group of rogue shinobi came to my mother's home... and slaughtered her family... my mother went into immediate labour when she saw them all lying there, on her former home's floor, dead... it drove her insane for whatever time she had left... I was found... covered in their blood.... The next day allegedly ANBU found the corpses of her relatives scattered all over the outskirts of Konoha... blood splatters everywhere... my ka-san... lost her mind... she carried each and every one of them out there, even though she was having contractions... and left them to be feasted on by scavengers... she died... during labour... cursing those who destroyed her family, ripped them apart..." _

_And with that, Kakashi cut off, his sobs echoing throughout the frosty winter air, surely heard by those even miles away, his tears glowing silver as they fell in droplets to the ground, a sliver of lightning dispersing into nothingness as it met with the cold surface below, never to be seen again.  
_

_End of Flashback_

* * *

"Ah, so you read the mission reports that outlined her 'cause of death', ne? Quite a tragic case, actually; that she was..." Takeshi muttered in faux sympathy as he turned his glassy gaze toward the trembling form of Sakura's sensei, whom was probably reliving the memory firsthand, repeatedly.

"You fucking bastard! You destroyed the only people he could have ever know, his family! He lost everything after that! You sent your men... to dispose of his mother's relatives...! Why?! What was it achieving, what could you have possibly gained from it?! To see him suffer, like he actually had done something to you personally to deserve this?! Why, you fucking sick sociopath, WHY?!"

"Simple; because his father was a threat to me, and therefore by attacking the things most precious to him whilst he had let his guard down, seemed to be the most efficient and effective means possible in order to prevent him from hindering my plans. So you see, it's nothing personal; in all honesty, I pity the man. He had to endure years of suffering thanks to the lack thereof shown through his stubborn, prideful father, and even more so when said man took his own life. Honestly, too much pressure for a lad of merely six to endure, ne?"

Takeshi retorted without missing a beat, a smile bordering sadistic pleasure tugging at his lips as he stared at Sakura; well, more accurately, her breasts. Sakura felt shivers of utter repulsion making their way down her spine as Takeshi's eyes trailed down to her ass, following every voluptuous curve she had for offer and on display, which was pretty much almost everything.

Her fighting outfit wasn't anything to be called skimpy, slutty, but it couldn't be called modest either; a tight fishnet tank-top adorned her upper torso, her lacy black bra almost completely visible, yet covered by her wine coloured v-neck crop top which stopped just beneath her bust-line, a silver zipper tracing down to the hem. One of the sleeves of the shirt was cut off at her shoulder, cropping and framing her right arm, complimenting the fishnet and gauze wraps that were tightly secured to said limb, completed with a glove cut off at the fingers, bandages wrapped around each slim appendage with much care and precision; there was no strap for Sakura's left arm, the wine coloured vest curving under her arm to meet her back, the empty space covered by the black mesh, more of her bra visible in this particular place.

There was a sleeve hanging from just above her forearm, vaguely resembling Sasuke's (a/n: in the Shippuden, when we first encounter him), except for the fact that it was completely loose around her arm, falling to just above her wrist before flowing around it with several inches of breathing space, a black glove similar to Sai's (a/n: Sai wears gloves that have some fingers cut off, the others completely covered) adorning that particular hand; from there, the rosette wears a pair of short black shorts, ending just above her mid thigh area, more mesh coming down her left leg from under the tight material of her pants.

On her right leg there is black fishnet, only this time it comes up from her ankle, stopping just above her shin (a/n: think of Temari in the Shippuden), black shinobi sandals crossed with high-heels strapped around both of her feet, the left's boot coming up till it was just beneath her kneecap, the other having thick black straps wrapped up and around her right leg; to finish her look, she had a wine coloured skirt adorned with black that was sliced right up both legs' thighs until it met her panty line (a/n: if any of you have ever seen 'W.I.T.C.H.', think of Hay Lin in her Guardian form; _that_ sort of skirt), flowing in between her legs till they met halfway down Sakura's long limbs, thing black strings attaching the skirt together from her hips, silver bells hanging shamelessly from the thin wire threads they were tied to.

All that needed to be added was her headband, which sat in its' traditional spot over the crown of her head, tied beneath her bubblegum pink locks, which flowed behind her in two ponytails similar to her shishou's, and you had the sexiest woman in the entire Leaf Village facing you.

Literally.

The way Takeshi leered made Sakura want to puke, but she withheld the strong urge, remembering her sensei's current predicament, and knelt down beside him, placing her hands gently on both of his shoulders, leaning her head into the crook of his neck as she allowed the familiar green glow of her medical chakra flow into her palms, searching for any signs of weakness, so that she could slip into his mind and drag him out of his stupor; Takeshi looked none too pleased with this development, but before he could even lift one of his slimy fingers (not literally dudes), Lee and the rest of the gathered jonin assembled to block his path, only Kurenai and Hinata remaining behind to defend Sakura as she slipped into her unconscious mentor's mind, rendering her own vessel useless whilst incapacitated.

Fuck was this going to be interesting.

* * *

Sasuke stood triumphant above a screeching mini destructive fox, smirk emboldened as he raised his katana, infusing his nature element into the sharpened blade before bringing it down with lightning precision, stabbing the creature till it was rendered immobile, incapable of movement; with this advantage, even as the kyuubi howled in agony, Sasuke closed his eyes, concentrating on nothing in particular, before reopening his onyx orbs.

There, in the very depths of his eyes, was none other than the amaterasu sharingan, and with this transition, searing obsidian flames sprung up, engulfing the clearing in nothing but bottomless black, all cries of pain drowned out by the crusade of the unstoppable fire sprites, continuously spreading until all met the same, unavoidable fate.

* * *

Sakura wandered through her sensei's mind, trying to find an opening to enter one of his memories, in the hopes of finding him and persuading fore-mentioned man to return with her back to the world outside of his mind; it was surely not healthy to be cooped up in such a small space twenty-four seven, particularly with such horrifying memories to be your only source of companionship.

The rosette had just forced herself out of a particularly terrifying one; one where Kakashi is on a mission to protect a princess from a foreign country, only to later stumble upon her being tortured ruthlessly, rape being the least of that poor woman's problems.

The mere aftertaste of it left Sakura dry-retching as she all but tore her way out, stumbling blindly through the corridors of his mind, various doors lining each wall of his brain, reminding Sakura of ironically enough the mental institutional wing for the criminally insane that had just recently been opened in Konohagakure's Hospital; what a sick twist of fate to see her sensei's mind so contaminated with white-washed walls, and steel barricades with padlocks for doors.

Though the rosette assumed that this was the result of all of that induced trauma, a defence mechanism to the outside world one might say; Kakashi would never want anyone to access his memories that easily, so this was the result of years of hard focus, mental barriers blocking every possible path. All this was doing for the rosette was increasing her frustration levels, so much so that she even contemplated leaving the man stuck inside his head for the rest of his life, rendered a vegetable; hey, at least he would never have to give up his hospital bed.

But she didn't have the heart to just abandon him; no, she would drag him out by his penis if she had to in order to reclaim her beloved childhood mentor back, before beating him within an inch of his life for making her work so hard just to retrieve him, therefore still putting him in a hospital bed for Kami-sama knows how long; all depends on just how upset and or angry Sakura gets at him once he regains his wits.

Sighing, Sakura continued her rather pointless voyage throughout her sensei's well-protected mind (what, was he afraid of being probed by aliens or something?), praying to whoever would listen to get her and her teacher out of here relatively unharmed (physically at least; as for mental and emotional state of mind...), before the damage is unrepairable, driving Kakashi to the same unfortunate insane state that his dear mother had descended into prior his birth.

* * *

"Naruto... wake up...." Said blonde groaned weakly, flinching at the now throbbing pain in his shoulder; what the hell had happened...?

"Urrrnnnnnhh...! T-Teme...? That you...?" Naruto rasped out rather groggily, the pain intensifying as he opened his cerulean eyes, only to be met with Sasuke's obsidian ones, burning with a quiet concern that touched the blonde deeply; then he noticed it.

The clearing that they currently inhabited was charred black, nothing of any commensurate value left with the remains; not even a sliver of brown was traceable in the flame-broken field. "Sasuke....what'd you—?"

"I had no choice; you lost control, gave in to your instincts, to _its'_ instincts. You could have done some serious damage had I not intervened... _usuratonkachi_..." Sasuke muttered under his breath, turning his head in the opposite direction to hide the faint traces of pink that now dusted them; hai, it was faint, barely visible, but it was there, and Naruto caught light of it. "H-Hey teme... are you... _blushing_...?"

The implication was enough for Sasuke's glare to immediately snap back onto Naruto, a vein popping on his forehead as he cracked his knuckles in a lethal sort of way; Naruto paled to a deathly white, knowing full-well what Sasuke was about to do. "U-uh, teme, I was joking, JOKING—ARRRRRGHHH, ITAAAAIIIIIII!" His screams of pain echoed and carried with the drifting wind to the very corners of the Land of Howling Confusion and back some.

* * *

Sakura continued to saunter along idly, processing everything she had just witnessed; so far, in a quick summation, all the rosette could manage to choke out was that Kakashi had indeed suffered more than any shinobi she had ever known (aside from a certain Uchiha) in her life, more than any person should, and it broke her heart to finally realise why he always seemed to be wearing a mask; it not only hid his face, but all of the emotions that would cross it if one of these memories came to mind.

He hid his face from the world so he could mask his emotions from view; he masked his true self in exchange for a means to obscure his suffering, his inner turmoil. He hid his true self because he wanted to protect those whom had yet to grasp the true meaning of 'pain.'

But most of all.... he wore a mask to protect his students from the horrors of shinobi life; not that it did much good in the end, ne?

* * *

As Sasuke pretty much carried Naruto on his back, he allowed himself a moments grace period in which he fell into a light stupor, remembering the events prior to Naruto's transformation back into his usual form.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Sasuke panted heavily as the blood flowed freely from the corners of his eyes, leaking down his cheeks and plopping soundlessly to the darkened earth at his feet as he maintained eye contact with the beast affront him; so far, he had had more trouble than he initially thought he would in helping Naruto come to his senses, and transform back. The miniature kyuubi went on a rampage, managing to tear out the lightning infused katana from it's shoulder and sending it right back at Sasuke, whom caught it with ease; what he didn't expect, nor with half as much speed and conviction in it's wounded state as it managed, was the beast to reappear behind him, but this was an easily corrected mistake. _

_Sasuke simply outwitted the creature and mimicked it's movement, though this time he propelled himself into the sky, doing several long flips and twists before raising his hand into the quickly condensing air, storm clouds reforming at Sasuke's simple action; it seemed he had no choice but to completely immobilise the creature, praying that Naruto would escape relatively unharmed through the attack he was about to perform on the demon below him, and would not hold it against him. _

_It was, after all, in his best interests. Clenching his fist once, twice, thrice, Sasuke found himself doing the familiar seals for his family's prestigious jutsu; "__**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**__!" Raising his chest into the air, he built the chakra into a thick, condensed ball, puffing up his cheeks momentarily as he craned his neck backwards, before arching his now falling back toward the fast approaching ground, raising his right hand to his mouth, his thumb, index and middle fingers' acting as a guide as he spat the fireball from his mouth, up into the darkened clouds, lighting up the sky in an orangey-yellow flash, inevitably drawing unwanted attention to himself; the mini fox had been searching blindly for his opponent, and when the sudden darkness surrounding lit up in a blaze of scorching orange... well, it's first instinct was to attack, of course. _

_Building up the chakra in its' cheeks, the fox then used the surrounding air to form a small crimson-black sphere about the same size as a rasengan, before taking said ball of pure chakra into the confines of its' mouth, and raising its' head to let the explosive attack hit. _

_That is, until a solid wall of something that shared a vague resemblance to... sand?... appeared, blocking the attack and therefore reflecting it right back at the mini demon, shocking the creature and numbing it with nothing but pain; the steely sand then proceeded in grasping the four-tailed beast in its' inescapable hold, inevitably pinning down the now thrashing monster. _

_Sasuke stared slightly wide-eyed at the sight before him; not only had Gaara saved Naruto's butt, but it appeared that he had also saved Sasuke's as well; the Uchiha crouched on a floating pile of sand, which had caught him before he could make contact with the ground. _

_Letting out an inaudible sigh of relief, Sasuke then jumped from the solid grains of calcified dirt, landing without making a single sound; from there, he sauntered casually to where Naruto's demon squirmed in utter futility, Sasuke taking a sick sort of sadistic pleasure in watching fore-mentioned creature fight back without any hope whatsoever of escape. It would all be over soon. _

"_Why did you save my ass?" Sasuke stated bluntly, not wanting to withhold the question any longer than necessary; he really was curious as to what the origins of his answer may be. "Because you are precious to Naruto, and if you are precious to him, then you are so to me as well." Sasuke cocked his head in slight amusement, seeing the inner 'Naruto-admirer' coming out to shine. Gaara ignored the impertinent movement, and continued on as if uninterrupted (not that he had been...). _

_"Besides, Naruto wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that he had done something that resulted in you having to use your Amaterasu __**and**__ Kirin on top of that just to deter him; it would leave an adverse impact on him, I expect you know that though, don't you, Sasuke Uchiha?" Said man was now slightly pissed; how did he know the names of jutsu that he had never even seen before...?_

"_Heh. All the records of your previous fights have been recorded, and so now we have a strong reserve of information about the degree of your ability; which is extremely high, mind you. Expected of an Uchiha elite, I suppose..." Gaara trailed off, allowing Sasuke to indulge in his own over-inflated ego before he stood over the source of all the terrible noise. "__**Kekekekekekekek! Kyuubi is all tied up**__!" Shukaku commented in utter amusement, his words drowned out by the soundless approach of one Sasuke Uchiha, whom had temporarily forgotten his quiet ramblings (a/n: more like gloating—I LOVE YOU SASUKE!) and was now ready to turn Naruto back into himself. _

_Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to get familiar with the hum of his Amaterasu, the chakra flowing behind his lids as they flew open, fresh blood burning their mark down Sasuke's ivory cheeks as he made complete eye contact with said topic of former discussion; the effects of this weren't notable at first, but when the black flames made contact with the mini fox completely was when it started to change. At first it just screeched in pain, but slowly the black flames ate through the thickly layered chakra-skin, peeling it away tails and all until all that was left was an unconscious Naruto... that would be killed instantly if those flames even so much as __**touched**__ his skin; pouring more chakra into his eyes, Sasuke managed to do a reverse summoning, the impossible-to-put-out flames dispersing into an alternate universe, but they were gone. _

_Panting once again, Sasuke relaxed in relief, knowing that his friend was going to be okay. That is, until a stabbing pain tore its' way through Sasuke's head, bleatingly pounding behind his eyes until he saw red, literally; more blood gushed from his eye sockets as Sasuke made the best attempt to clamp them shut, all failing, as the pain only grew worse by doing so. Gaara knelt beside him (a/n: Sasuke had collapsed suddenly, hands clutching his head in an attempt to soothe the pain), hands resting firmly on his shoulders as he probed for the solution to the problem, something Sasuke couldn't actually see for himself; again, pun intended, as he cannot see anything, __**at all**__. That was it; he was now officially __**blind**__._

_*-*-*-*-*-*_

"_Are you sure you cannot see anything, at all, Sasuke?" Gaara asked evasively, uncomfortable with the situation at hand; why couldn't Naruto wake up and—_

"_NO!" Sasuke snapped impatiently, having waited a full hour to find out whether or not his sight would come back; it appeared to be the latter. Sighing, Gaara turned to where Naruto lay, still yet to awaken from his unconscious state; if he didn't wake soon... "Will you be staying here, with Naruto...?" _

"_Tch, __**what do you think**__, usuratonkachi?! What, am I gonna simply just waltz off on my merry way and __**fight**__, leaving __**him**__ defenceless? Hn, what the fuck am I __**supposed**__ to do?! I can't see a fucking __**thing**__, and you come out and say something as half-assed as __**that**__?! What the fuck, man?!" Sasuke spat angrily, stomping over to where Naruto lay, before he slid to his knees, grabbing the baka by the collar of his ridiculous orange jacket (to which he still wears), and smacking him senseless._

_ "Naruto! Wake up, dammit! I can't protect you forever you know! Get your useless ass up!" Gaara watched the display in silence for several moments, before finally tiring of the scene, and haphazardly turned on his heel, sauntering casually off into the opposite direction; hearing his sudden exit, Sasuke just had to come out with it. _

"_Where, may I ask, are __**you**__ going?"_

"_To fight a war, Uchiha; try it sometime. It has to be better than abusing your unconscious teammate." Gaara retorted without missing a beat, a bored, blunt tone used to convey his slight annoyance. _

_When the only response to his witty comment was "Hn", Gaara decided to say his final parting words, unsure at first, but confident thereafter. "Uchiha..." Said man looked to the direction in which the voice came from, indicating that he was indeed listening, but not really caring about what had to be said. That all changed once it was out in the open though._

_ "You should get Sakura-chan to look at those eyes of yours... she could most likely heal them back to normal, so that your vision is perfect once again. All you have to do s swallow your pride and ask; I'm sure she'd be more than happy to oblige." _

_And with that, Gaara vanished, the shifting of the wind the only thing to inform Sasuke of this development. _

_End of Flashback_

_

* * *

_

So now you're probably wondering... how is it that Sasuke is managing to carry someone as heavy as Naruto through the treetops, blind as a drug addict walking around in the sunshine? Well, who knows; Uchiha stubbornness perhaps?

Naruto whimpered every time Sasuke landed on a tree branch with much more force than necessary, a pained smirk gracing the Uchiha's lips; man, this was going to be a painful ride....

* * *

Sakura was just about to turn a corner when all of a sudden a flash of silver-white light burst free, spraying the room with a rainbow of colours, transfixing the rosette into a dreamlike stupor; it was the first time in what appeared to be forever since the woman had seen any splashes of colour.

All of Kakashi's memories to date were dismal, grey, sombre, and it only helped in fuelling Sakura's already plummeting mood; why was it that he had no happy memories...? Sakura approached the place where the light had originated, the faint glowing of it lulling Sakura off into a trance as she pulled at the door knob, a ray of static light bathing her as she took her first steps into the room; one thing was for sure.

Sakura was about to find out just why there had been nothing remotely 'happy' in her sensei's memories.

* * *

The jonin all gasped in much needed breaths of air, savouring it even though it burned to inhale it into their systems; the fight with Takeshi had spanned out until they were all physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted, too tired to continue their battle; said man stood there, seemingly unfazed even though he had several major injuries adorning his flesh, all courtesy of one very pissed off Neji Hyuuga.

Sweat, blood, more sweat and even more blood lined the battlefield, caked to the ground in some places where it had dried, still running along the grooves of the cracked earth in others, where the blood was still fresh, recently spilt; the most critically injured of the group turned out to be Asuma, whom had literally had a fist-sized hole punched through him by none other than the enigma in the long purple cloak, the blood gushing from his wound.

Ino had desperately tried to heal it, but Asuma was too stubborn to even sit still for a moment and let the poor girl heal his injury; had Sakura been awake... well, that's a different case entirely. So here they all were, so close to passing out, but not quite spent just yet; no, they would not stop the fight until one of them prevailed (which seems odd, seeing as there are like, thirteen on one side, against one foe... oh right... Takeshi is _supposed_ to be extremely powerful, lol!), taking down their enemy for good.

The chances of that weren't very high for this group of elites, no siree... "Let's face it; you are all too weak to defeat me. So if you want to live, then I highly suggest you leave now and do not come back. Let me claim my prize, already." He said it calmly, but the irate annoyance was starting to show, both through his abrupt tone, and posture, which was tense with anticipation, stress; if he didn't take her now, whilst no one was the wiser...

"Like fuck we're just gonna throw in the towel, and hand over one of our teammates, our friends! We are ninja of the Leaf, and damn proud of it!" Neji exclaimed haughtily, venom lacing his voice as he lowered himself into traditional Hyuuga stance. "Hmmm, what to do with you...?"

Takeshi mumbled more to himself than anyone else, contemplating on just how he should obliterate the annoying pest across from him; though he had to admit that the child was good. A prodigy in his own rights, especially seeing as he managed to be the only one to inflict any _real_ damage to him thus far. "I do not go down so easily!" Neji hollered as he disappeared, reappearing nano-seconds later in front of Takeshi, hitting him with a 'Eight trigrams: One Hundred and Twenty-Eight' combo, sending said man into the cliff-face across from them.

It seemed eerily quiet, even to the smug Hyuuga, whom didn't once let his guard down, for the fear of losing his life if he was foolish enough to do so; eventually, from the rubble of the cliff, there stood the mangled, bloody form of Takeshi at his worst, whom had finally grasped the seriousness of this battle. It was to prove that he was indeed worthy of Sakura, in very way and form, and if these people stood in his way, then he really didn't have much choice in the matter; he would just have to kill them_. _

_"__**Damn... you... getting... in my.... way... of... my cherry blossom... mine... if you don't move... I'm going to have to... kill you then!**__" _Takeshi had finally snapped, and with that, so did his self control; raising his hands, said man making seals so fast that it had the jonins' eyes spinning in their skulls as the man charging toward them lifted his arms, lightning slamming into the ground as a catatonic fluctuation, tearing the earth apart and ripping its' way towards the completely unprepared shinobi; all they could do was watch in mortified horror as the waves of thick static electricity closed in on their ranks, all gathered turning their attention to Sakura and Kakashi, whom were both out of commission.

_'FUCK! If we don't—! They'll—!'_

But it was already far too late.

The jutsu made indefinite contact, shattering the group and sending them into oblivion, Takeshi still charging, although his destination had changed now that his obstacles had been permanently removed; he was now running towards... the unconscious form of Sakura?!

_"__**She's finally mine! After all of these years! Mine, mine, MINE!"**_

His manic laughter carried on the long since departed wind, the soulless cries of the dead demanding retribution as he finally arrived to the stilled body of his incessant obsession, the battle cries from afar sounding louder than they should have.

"_**MINE!"**_

* * *

**a/n: Well... this chapter is shorter, but I did my best with what little time I have at the moment... forgive me guys, I really am sorry! T-T**

**Please review, and I will TRY (particular emphasis on the TRY part) to update sooner! ^ ^**

**Now I will attempt to get some desperately needed sleep (insomnia does this to people!)!!**

**Arigato gozaimasu ne! XD**

***-Sasukeluva 4eva out-***

**Oh, and guys? Please check out some of my new stuff! It would mean the world to me! ^ ^ And I also have a poll on my profile, so please check it out and vote for what you would like for me to do! **

**('Should there be a sequel to **_**'Last chance at Love'**_**?)**


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